Under the Full Moon
by Jayeliwood
Summary: Edward left Bella emotionally half dead in the woods, or did he? What will happen once Bella takes the fateful leap off the cliff? What will Edward do to save her, and himself? What changes if he never left. Starts off at the jump, AU, more mature.
1. Broken Confessions

**Hey everyone, new story. Yeah, I know I know. It's probably been done before but I want to do my own version of it. This is my story of what would have happened if Edward had left in New Moon, but... not exactly. Hope you enjoy!**

**ooOooOoo**

_**Edward left Bella in the forest after her birthday, broken and lonely. But, how far did he really go? The beautiful velvet voice echoed inside of her head as the adrenaline pumped through her veins. If she couldn't have him any other way then she would do this, anything to be close to him once again. For he was her everything and without him, she felt like she had nothing. **_

_**Nothing to live for. **_

_**Nothing to love. **_

_**Nothing to lose. **_

_**So, she jumped. The beautiful voice screamed after her and once again she felt like she was in heaven. She had her angel once more. **_

**Chapter One:**

**Broken Confessions**

I watched as she stood over the cliff, just glancing at the very edge. Bella just seemed curious to what the waters below looked like, curious like any other human would be. I didn't think she was in danger from falling from where she was standing, so I wouldn't step in. I wouldn't step in unless I thought I needed to. I hated how many times I felt like I had to.

_My little danger magnet. _

Yes, I'll admit it. I never left. How could she believe that I would? Why would I leave her? She was everything good in my life, the only thing that was ever pure and decent. But, I couldn't be with her anymore. I couldn't be with her and protect her at the same time. I was too dangerous, far far too dangerous. But now it would seem that she was bound and determined to kill herself with all the stupid things she was doing. My plan was just to stay in the shadows until I could kill Victoria. But then, then she started hanging out with that werewolf and riding that damned motorcycle, along with a few other stupid things. I had to do something to make her stop sometimes but it didn't really think it was working all that well. She was doing it more and more often. I couldn't handle it if she did hurt herself. If she died, then so did I. If there was any chance of me going to heaven at all, I hoped to that God would let me follow her. It was more than I deserved though.

I had to do something, even if it did make her think she was crazy. I think she could handle crazy more than the other options.

But, apparently she could not.

She started from a dead run and jumped off the edge of the cliff, arms spread wide like she was going to take off into flight. As if she was a bird.

"No!" I shouted from my tree branch, instantly leaping down to my feet as I chased after her.

She was trying to kill herself. Bella was trying to kill herself because of me. What had I done to her? What kind of monster was I really? I couldn't live without her. If she died then I would literally feed myself to the wolves. Let them rip my body apart just to end my pain and suffering. My heart would be gone without Bella anyway. Without Bella, I had no soul. She was everything.

_What the hell was she doing!_

I leaped after her, willing my body to go faster. I willed my body to catch up to hers so I could brace her for impact at the very least. The fall could break her neck, possibly. If it didn't, I could always save her from drowning but if it did... I could... I could...

No, that wasn't a possibility. I would not damn her to hell. I could not drag her into this life.

All the rules seemed to be different for me except for one thing._ Gravity._ Gravity worked on me the same as it did for her.

Bella looked like an angel, an almost serene appearance on her face as she fell towards the watery earth. Her eyes were closed and her arms were up, like she was reaching towards the heavens now. She seemed truly at peace. I half way expected her to start flying and prove to me that she really was the angel I always thought her to be.

Jesus, what had I done to her. I prayed in those few moments. I prayed for her safety and her forgiveness. I prayed for my damned soul. I just hoped that I had not already cursed her as well.

She dipped below the water, feet first thankfully, with a loud splash. I could deal with broken ankles or legs but I hadn't heard any cracking, though it was hard to tell. There was so much other noise.

_God, why wasn't I going faster?_ I wasn't moving fast enough. I needed to move faster!

I turned my body so my arms were facing the water, diving as gracefully into the water as possible. I could move faster from the start this way. I searched frantically in the murky depths for my beloved, my eyes never blinking. It took a lot longer than I wanted it to. Seconds seemed like minutes and minutes seemed like hours as I swam deeper and deeper into the cold black water. Finally, I found Bella somehow. Her eyes were open and her hands were raised upwards like she was reaching for me. I saw a brief smile cross her lips before her eyelids drooped. She had passed out.

_No_. No she couldn't drown. I would not let this happen. What? What had I done?

I grabbed her by the waist and swam up to the surface of the water. Bella's head flopped back with the force, her mouth hanging open but no air coming in or out. Her heart was still beating though. That was a good thing. That was something at least.

I carried her back to the shore of first beach, treaty be damned. I didn't care. Putting her down as carefully as possible I laid her body onto the rocky beach and looked over her frantically. Where to start? I knew what to do. I had two damn medical degrees. This should have been simple. My mind wasn't working anymore.

_Check her airways_, my mind screamed at me as it went into autopilot. Make sure nothing is in her mouth.

I tilted the back of her neck up carefully so that her chin was more even, it arching slightly. As soon as I did so her body jerked wildly and she rolled to the side, spewing salty water from her lips. She coughed and coughed, never once opening her eyes as her hands wrapped tightly around her stomach. "Oh," she groaned softly when finally it all seem to come out, spit still dripping down her chin. Bella's head flopped onto the ground as she took in large gulps of air, her chest heaving as her body shook. I'm sure she was cold. I'd have to get her out of those clothes soon.

And then she said something that surprised me for some reason.

"Edward."

She haven't even opened her eyes yet! How could she know I was here? Did she really see me in the water. It took a moment to shake myself out of the shock, kneeling beside her as my hands slid down her arms gently. "I'm here, love. It's okay now. I'm here."

"Edward," she whimpered again, her voice so pitiful and weak. I had done that to her and I hated myself.

"Sh," I hushed her. She didn't need to worry about me. I wasn't going anywhere until I knew for sure she was okay. "It's alright. Do you hurt anywhere else?"

Her head shook slowly as she rolled back onto her back. She brought her hands up to her face, rubbing it roughly as she let out a jagged cough. "My throat hurts. It burns."

"I know the feeling," I laughed almost hysterically. Relief flooded my system, my nerves tingling with the sensation. She was alive. My love was alive. I had saved her. I could save her. Then the anger came through when I remembered what she had done to herself. "Bella, why did you try to kill yourself? Why?"

"To hear you again. I wasn't really trying to kill myself. I just wanted to-" She stopped, laughing softly in a hoarse voice. "I got my wish. I've lost it. Go ahead though. Tell me how stupid I am. Tell me how idiotic. I did a good job though. It's the best it's been in months. It's like you're standing right in front of me. Your voice is so clear. It's better than the first time."

I shook my head. She still thought I was a hallucination. Taking her hands away from her eyes. "You did it to hear me? Why? Bella, I'm right here. Answer me. I asked you not to do anything stupid. You promised me."

"You broke promises, too." She said, her eyes still screwed tightly shut like she was afraid to open them.

"DAMMIT," I shouted, finally losing it. "Open your eyes! I am right here. I'm right here." I nearly wept, laying my head onto her stomach. Her heart beat wildly against my face, her body so hot even though I knew she had to be cold. I just had to touch her in this way. I had to feel her. It had been so long. Far too long. "I never left. I never could leave you."

Her fingers roamed through my hair slowly, her thumbs gliding over my temples. I knew the second she opened her eyes because she gasped loudly. "Edward?!"

"I couldn't leave. I was trying to protect you but I failed. I hoped that Victoria would leave you alone if she thought I were gone but she didn't and then the wolves and this. Bella, I failed you. I am so sorry. I was a fool. A stupid old fool," I sobbed against her chest. Every emotion that I had been holding in for months came tumbling out, my heart slowly piecing back together as I held her tiny body against mine. This was so right. This is where I needed to be.

"Edward!" She gasped again, tugging my hair with all her strength. I allowed her to pull me so I could look at how angry she was. I knew she had to be furious. But, she wasn't. Not at all. Instead she was... relieved, it seemed. I wasn't exactly sure. She lunged forward and kissed me, her mouth hot and soft against mine.

Now, Bella and I had kissed in the past, and wonderful kisses they were but this... this was nothing like any of them. It surpassed them all, by far. I felt all of her passion, love, and devotion in her lips. I couldn't hold back. I couldn't hide myself from her any longer. My fingers went to the side of her neck and to her beautiful brown hair as I hovered over her, kissing her with as much passion and power as she could stand. Hot slick tears flowed down her cheeks as she held onto me tightly, air coming heavily out of her nose and flowing over my skin as her tongue slid over my lips. I gasped in pleasure, letting it in my mouth. We had never done this before. With each passing second, it became more wanting and more intense. And more delicious. I felt the passion flow from her very core.

And then I tasted blood.

I bolted away from her, the sweet hot sticky substance just on the tip of my tongue. A tiny droplet rolled down the corner of her puffy lips but what I noticed more was her hurt expression. I had hurt her again. "What? No! Please don't leave me again. Please."

I shook my head, closing my eyes. "No. Blood, your mouth. It's on your mouth. You're bleeding," I stammered out stupidly, the words coming out in spouts.

She rubbed her fingers against her mouth and pulled it back to peer at them. A small smudge graced her now salty flesh, her eyes scrunching up as she looked at it almost as if she was confused by it. She was silent for a long second before Bella stood up quickly and walked towards me with purpose. "Take it. If you're going to leave me again I don't need it. I am nothing without you. TAKE IT!"

She had grown stronger since I had left her in that forest.

"Bella, I can't do that." I whispered, turning my face away. "I won't leave you again. I promise you that. I am so sorry."

She stomped up to me with purpose once again and I expected her to slap me or something along those lines at least but she didn't. Instead, Bella smeared the blood over my lips. "It's yours anyway. Take it."

"I-" I began but the loud growl of wolves filled my ears. I could hear their animal like thoughts, jumbled but angry. Several large wolves came towards us, coming to a stalk before beginning to circle me and Bella.

_Broke the treaty_, Sam thought.

_Get away from Bella_, Jacob nearly screamed in his mind, a low grumbling in his chest. He was so angry. I couldn't blame him.

_There is blood,_ Seth seemed concerned for her safety as well.

"I'll leave your land. I only went on it to save Bella. She jumped from the cliffs. Jacob, I thought you were suppose to be protecting her." I accused him. He was falling in love with her and he couldn't protect her either. The thought made me feel not as bad for some reason.

"Jacob?" Bella turned and looked at the russet colored wolf. "Did you know he was here? Why didn't you tell me?" She began to sob heavily as anger spewed from her voice.

"He didn't know," I answered for him before he could even have the thought, his eyes zeroing in on me. "Apparently one blood sucker smells like another. I've also found ways of covering that up."

"How?" She turned back towards me, touching my chest gently with her fingertips. The rumble from all the wolves became louder. "Oh, hush. I'm talking to him."

I almost laughed when they all stopped at the same time, a soft whine from Jacob ending the chorus of noise. "It doesn't really matter right now." There was a sharp growl. "Victoria doesn't now how," I answered some of their thoughts. "Bella, I'm breaking the treaty and I need to leave."

"No! I'm going with you." There was a chorus of barking and growling until the leader yipped loudly.

_Where did the blood come from_, Sam asked as he muddled through the chorus of other thoughts invading his head. He was getting extremely annoyed at all the noise.

"We... kissed," I said slowly. "It was purely an-"

"It was my fault. I forced myself on him." Jacob barked at her words. "Shut up. It's true. I kissed him. He probably doesn't even want me anymore. I'm the reason there's blood on him. I was taunting him into biting me and he resisted. He told me no."

A painful image of Bella turning in a vampire came into Jacob's mind and I cringed away. "I want that as little as you do, Jacob. I won't change her."

"WHY!? WHY NOT?!" She demanded. "I'm five seconds from death half the time anyway. It's not fair!"

"Do you truly think this is the time and place to discuss that?" I asked in a low voice, tracing her jaw with my fingers gently to get her attention.

She turned her face to the side, giving me the answer to that question. She knew it was not. I was glad she was thinking somewhat rationally at the moment. "I only came onto your land to save her life. Otherwise, Bella would have drowned." The group whimpered and whined, pained at the very thought. "I will leave your land and we can spare any blood shed. I will not return to your land again, unless it is to protect Bella. That is my only reason. I will not harm her or you. Her safety is my only desire."

_We can't trust him_, was the group thought. That was the group besides Sam, actually. I was glad that he was the Alpha. He seemed to think more clearly than the others. They were more ruled by their emotions.

I walked towards Sam, hand on my heart and Bella protectively behind me. I just hoped a fight wouldn't break out. She could be hurt if there was one. "I only came on this land to protect Bella. I will leave right now. If I hurt her, ever, I will gladly feed myself to you. I will let you rip my body apart. It would be the easiest punishment, too easy. I would deserve so much worse than that."

_Leave now and do not return._

"With pleasure," I said, turning my back to the group going insane with anger against Sam's decision. But, they could do nothing against him. He was the alpha._ Thank God. _

"I'm going with you," Bella repeated her words from earlier, running towards me. I felt her soft hand touching my shoulder blade and I almost burned at the feeling, her touch was so hot. "I won't let you go without me. We need to talk, at least. Please give me some answers. Please, Edward. I need this."

"Are you sure?" I asked quietly, turning to look at her. I kept a close watch on the wolves, ready at the moment's notice to pick her up and dive into the water if needed. I would be faster than them in the water.

"I want to talk to you," she nodded, her hand on my face. Her skin was so soft. It was like she was double checking to see if I were real or not, her fingers curling in to scratch her nails against my cheek though. She still couldn't believe her eyes.

Without a word, I picked Bella up in my arms, bridal style. I wasn't sure she was strong enough at the moment to hold onto my back, especially at a dead run. I needed to get her home and warmed up very soon. I didn't want her to get sick. That was the last thing she needed. There was a loud growling bark from Jacob along with several curse words in his mind but I ignored them as I carried her away. They were nothing but ideal threats anyway. Sam told him to fall back and that there were other vampires to take care of first.

He was exactly right. Victoria was a far worse problem than myself.

**So, this one will be updated whenever I can. I have a pretty good idea of what I want to happen in this one though. This will just be something I work on when I have writer's block which has been a lot lately. Also, I haven't done anything really cannon in a while. I do hope you enjoy. **

**I'm on twitter if you want to find out what's going on with me. Jayeliwood, come take a look if you want. Sometimes there might even be previews! Oh and thanks to all the lovelies on Twitter who give me feedback! Keep it coming! I love it!**

**How do you think Edward covered his scent from the wolves?**


	2. Showers and Reassurances

**Thanks for the fantastic response to the first chapter! I hope you guys continue to enjoy. Hopefully this will answer some of your questions. Some of you were right about the scent thing, you'll see. **

**Showers and Reassurances**

"I can't believe you're here," Bella whispered against my neck as I made the run towards her home. I could feel her delicate lips ghost against my skin as she spoke, teasing me pleasantly as the wind whipped past my face.

"I was always here," I told her truthfully, just loud enough for her to hear, turning my face so I nuzzled her shoulder. "I was always watching over you. I love you too much to leave you unprotected."

"Why though? You don't love me, not-"

"God! Such an idiot sometimes," I sighed as I stopped somewhere in the forest. We were only about five minutes from her house but I had a feeling this conversation couldn't wait any longer. We needed to get this over with. She wouldn't allow it to stop. We needed to have It though, I think. It would be a good thing.

"Excuse me?" She said as I put her down to her feet. Her hands immediately balled up into fists, resting on her hips.

"You will believe the blackest of lies but you won't believe the truth. I love you, Bella. I did what I did to protect you." I tried to explain. "Such a stupid obvious lie. It hurts a little that you'd believe that and not that I'd love you until the day I die."

She leaned against a tree, processing the words slowly. "Protect me? By leaving me alone?"

"You weren't ever truly alone, Bella. Someone was always with you, watching you."

"Did the rest-" I stopped her question with a raised hand, already knowing what she was going to ask.

"I sent them away. They didn't want to go. Trust me, it was a huge fight. Alice still won't speak to me. She's so angry at me for forcing her away from her best friend. She thought I was being a fool. She was right, I was. Bella, love, you have to believe me when I say that I love you, I only did what I did to try to protect you."

"From who?" She demanded. "Yourself or Victoria?"

"Yes, any possible danger," I whispered, the words coarsely coming out of my mouth. "But, like always you are a magnet for terrible things. Wolves, Bella, really?"

"They are my friends." Bella said with a lifted chin. I'm not sure she even knew she did that. It was almost adorable, in a frustrating sort of way.

"Dangerous and unstable," I said almost in a growl. "I could understand why you spent time with Jacob before he turned into a werewolf, but after you found out. Why? Why don't you run screaming like a normal person?" I demanded to know. It would have been so much easier if she were in some ways normal. She was so different from any other mortal I had ever met. She should have been scarred for life with such information.

"Because I didn't feel like I was dying when I was around Jacob. I almost felt... whole. _Almost_. But nothing can fix this hole in me but you. Right now... I would trade all the time with Jacob to have just another day with you. When I am with you everything seems-"

"So right," I finished for her. "For me, as well. I am a monster for what I have done to you." I shook my head, ashamed of myself.

"Never a monster," she stepped forward and pressed her palm against my cheek. Bella's skin was so soft, so fragrant. She smelt of the loveliest and most fresh strawberries. "You couldn't be."

I turned my face into her hand, holding it to my flesh while I lightly kissed her skin. I felt like my body was going out on me, my knees going weak as I dropped to the ground in front of her. I had to beg for this woman. I had to beg for her to forgive me. It was more than I deserved, but I had to try. "I am so sorry for the things I have done and said. I didn't mean any of them. I just wanted you safe. Please forgive me, Bella. I beg of you, please."

She was silent for a long moment, her cheeks flushed with some emotion. I wondered briefly what she was thinking but I was glad that I couldn't. I might not be able to stand her angry thoughts.

"What will you do for forgiveness?" Bella asked in a hoarse voice that surprised me, raspy and thick. The salt water had done some damage to her throat but that was the least of what it could of done to her. It could have been so much worse. But in a way it was almost sexual, sensual even. Thick and stirring.

I placed my hands on her waist, peering up at her through my thick eyelashes. I couldn't read her expression and that concerned me. Where was she going with this? "Anything, Bella. I am your slave. Tell me what I can do to make this better."

"Kiss me."

Before my mind could even process what I was doing I was up on my feet with her face in my hands. I covered her lips in a hard kiss, tasting her sweetness like I had done before yet I was more gentle than at the beach. I felt her smile, her fingers going into my hair as she tugged herself closer to my body. One arm wrapped around her waist, holding her to me. "I was just-" I began to speak against her lips but she hushed me with a gentle kiss.

"I know, it's okay," Bella said with her forehead pressed against mine.

"No, it's not okay. If it takes a century I will make it up to you what I have done." I said to her fiercely, kissing her again. "This isn't enough," I kissed her again, unable to stop myself. "I need to do more. Tell me what I can do."

"Do you truly love me?" She asked against my lips, every inch of her tight body pressed against mine.

"With all my heart," I said fiercely with all the devotion in my body. "I love you, Isabella."

"I love you so much, Edward," Bella began to cry, kissing my lips tenderly. "Don't. Don't leave me. Ever again. Please. I'll die. I need you." She stuttered out, scattering kisses on my skin as she spoke.

"I felt so broken," I began to tell her, returning the kisses she was giving almost frantically. "To watch you but not have you. To not touch you and speak to you. To not be able kiss you. I thought I was going to go mad. Without you I have no heart and soul. You make me alive."

"Have me, Edward," she said as she tilted her head back to allow me to kiss her neck. Her long, sensuous beautiful ivory skinned neck. Even covered in salt and dirt, she was delicious. She was far better than any blood I had ever tasted. "Touch me, Edward."

I groaned at the words she was saying, sliding my hand to her back and rubbing it through her still damp clothes. She should have been so cold but it felt like she was on fire against me, her chest pressing against mine. "Bella," I whimpered against the nape of her neck, lost in the feeling of having her body against mine. "So good." I pulled the collar of her shirt down a little so I could kiss her flesh there. "You taste so good."

"I probably taste like a salt lick," she giggled raspingly, her head tilting back in pleasure.

"I wouldn't know... but, I could lick you all night," I teased.

And her skin heated under my tongue and I grinned, flicking it over her flesh ever so slowly. Her fingers knotted into my hair, holding me to her body. "Yes..." she hissed as I lapped playfully at her collarbone. "Don't stop..."

"Bella, we shouldn't be doing this... there is some much we need to work out and figure out and-" I protested weakly, forgetting how to think as her hands dipped under my t shirt and scraped my abs. Her nails dragged along my belly button and I felt every muscle in my body tense. She didn't know she was a temptress, she had no idea what she was doing to me. "Bella's there-"

"Show me you're real. Prove to me that I'm not crazy, please." She begged, her hands pulling out of my tee shirt and pushing the flannel over shirt off my shoulders and to the damp cold ground.

"Dammit," I sighed. "Bella, I'm real." My fingers slid up her back and then down again, gripping the soft flesh of her bottom as I pulled her to me. "And this is what you do to me." I pressed myself into her stomach. "But I won't let you make this mistake."

"You're not a mistake, it wouldn't be."

"It would," I gently dragged my fingers over her cheek. "Now, lets get you home and dry."

Before she could argue with me I picked her up and started to run. She squeaked, shoving her face into my neck. I laughed a little, just happy to have her in my arms. Her arms wrapped around me, digging her fingers into my hair still. I missed her hands in my hair so much.

Chief Swan wasn't home at the moment. He hadn't been home a lot lately, looking for the killer that was terrorizing Forks. If he only knew the truth. I scaled the wall with her cradled against me with one hand, climbing through her still opened window. She always kept it open for me. I loved the thought, but I would have to have her stop that. Victoria was a real danger.

I placed her once again to her feet. "Perhaps you should go get cleaned up. Take a hot shower. It'll make you feel better."

She nodded her head slowly, biting her bottom lip as a hot flush came over her cheeks. Finally she gazed up at me. "Take off your clothes."

"What?" I laughed. "You've gotten awfully forward since your birthday."

"No, I don't think Charlie's clothes will fit you and those are dirty. I'll bring you a towel or something so you can cover up. I'll wash them while I'm in the shower."

"I can do it." I said, shaking my head. I had to admit it, I was slightly embarrassed.

"Take off your clothes. I'm pretty sure you're not going to run through the forest buck naked in the day time." She smirked, her hand held out to me as if I was going to shed them right there.

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "It wouldn't be the first time, but I'm not going anywhere. Go get something for me to cover up with, angel."

She grinned wildly as she ran out of the room to get something. Bella came back quickly with an old quilt, holding it out to me. "Here you go," she looked at me expectantly.

"Turn around please," I grinned as I took the quilt from her hands, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

Bella sighed dramatically, making a show of turning around with her arms crossed in front of her chest. I undressed quickly, dropping the wet clothes to the floor and wrapping the worn fabric around my hips a couple of times. I leaned in and lightly kissed her neck. "There, you've finally gotten me nude."

"Oh," she squeaked when she turned around, her eyes roaming my body almost hungrily. It was like if she could take a bite of me she would. I would let her if she wanted to, truthfully. My body reacted to her hot gaze, holding back a groan as she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. "Um," she shook herself. "I'll just go put these in the washing machine and then I'll jump into the shower. You can take one after me, if you want."

I walked to the rocker in the corner and sat, placing my hands in my lap. "I will be here waiting for you, love."

She fluttered around downstairs for a moment before coming back up to get the things for the shower. I didn't even move an inch. Bella smirked, but it slowly melted into a smile. As she came to swipe her bag from her desk, she planted a gentle kiss on my forehead. I smiled up at her happily. "I'll be right back."

"Take your time. Don't rush because of me."

"Yeah, right," she mumbled, swaying her hips as she left the room. I chuckled, leaning my head back against the wood as I closed my eyes.

I listened to every sound she made as she went through the motions. First she brushed her hair, then her teeth before climbing into the shower. She was such a creature of habit. Next she washed her hair then put conditioner in it as she scrubbed her body clean. I could hear the soft hum of pleasure as the water hit her back and slowly dripped down.

_Stop being a pervert,_ I told myself. But the idea of her nude and wet only feet away had always been tempting to me. I screwed my eyes shut tighter, concentrating on the sound of her beating heart.

After she climbed out of the shower she blow dried her hair, combing it straight. Finally Bella applied deodorant and then dressed. I could practically hear the mental pep talk she was giving herself, her breathing getting heavier as she stood dead still in the bathroom.

"Hey there," she whispered as she came back into the room. It had began to get dark outside, only the faintest glow of the last light coming into the room. Bella was standing in the doorway in a soft cotton white night gown, looking so innocent and beautiful. "I'm going to put the clothes in the dryer. Do you need anything?"

I grinned up at her words. She flushed when she realized what she said, biting her bottom lip. "No, I'm fine. I'll go take a shower."

I used Charlie's shampoo and plain body wash, washing the salt from my skin. Truthfully, it was the best bath I had in a very long time. Living in nature had it's bad points, that's for sure. Also, using animal musk to cover my scent for a couple months was not my favorite thing to do. I had gotten use to it, but I never liked it, that was for sure. I was glad that the ocean water seemed to wash away most of that scent. Bella didn't even seem to notice, which was a very good thing.

I would be glad when I could get rid of those clothes. I'm sure even with a few dozen washes I'd still be able to smell it. _Maybe I'll burn them_, I thought with some bit of delight as I ran my fingers through my hair. I tilted my hair back, making sure to get rid of all the dirt and grime that had collected on my body.

Toweling off quickly, I ran a comb through my unruly hair. I also borrowed a bit of Bella's mouth wash. I really needed to brush my teeth. Though they were generally clean and of course white, it was the idea that bothered me. I didn't want her to taste any of the few meals I had had in the past few months. I'm sure she didn't want to taste deer or something worse, like opossum.

I wrapped the towel tightly around my waist, leaving the blanket in the corner of the tiny bathroom to get later. I knew the clothes would be done soon anyway. Walking back in Bella's room, I gave a small smile as I watched her. Bella was looking at her bottom lip in a small hand mirror, trying to see exactly how badly it was injured. It was already sealed, from what I could tell. Mouth wounds just tended to bleed a lot.

"Does it hurt much?"

She jumped, placing her hand on her heart before turning to look at me. "No, it doesn't. I can't believe I bit myself kiss. I think I'm a little out of practice."

I grinned ruefully, leaning against the door frame as I looked down at my feet. "Maybe we can work on that. I think I might be a little out of practice as well. Would you help me with that?"

Her heart rate doubled in the matter of seconds, almost every inch of her skin – from what I could tell- was flushed with hot pumping blood. She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, gazing at me from underneath her thick curly brown eyelashes. "Do you really want that?"

"More than you'll ever know, my love. I have missed your kisses so much."

She walked slowly towards me, each step slow and calculated, her hips swaying with the gentle movement. It seemed like an eternity before she was only a few inches from me and her hands came out to touch my still damp arms. I leaned down to lightly kiss her lips but she pulled before I could. "Promise me you'll never do that again. Promise me if you want to protect me, you'll tell me the truth. Don't lie to me again. I couldn't handle it. If you kiss me and then you went away again... I'd... I'd die, Edward."

I brought my hand into her hair and pulled her up for a deep kiss, Bella lifting up on her toes to meet me. "God, I was such a fool for doing this. Do you forgive me?"

"Only if you promise never to do it again," she swiped a wet curl from my forehead, brushing it out of my eyes. She was positively beautiful in the moonlight, her pale skin glowing.

"I promise, my love. Never again. You're not the only one that would die. I don't think I could survive doing that again." I told her truthfully before kissing her forehead.

"Kiss me," she whispered, her cool breath fanning over my nose and filling it with her sweet scent. It was so delicious and I could deny her nothing. I never would again.

Her hands roamed my chest and arms as my own slid around her waist, pulling her tightly against me. It was amazing how little fabric was holding us apart. The nightgown became wet from my skin and stuck to her body, teasing me with the view. I swallowed down my emotions hard as I continued to kiss her, fighting for any sort of control I could find. At the moment, it was very little. I'm sure she could feel the reaction I was having to all of this. I'd be surprised if she couldn't. I think a blind deaf mute could tell the reaction I was having at this moment.

With each second it became harder and harder to focus on that precious control. Every ounce of my body craved her and she seemed to crave me just as much. Her fingers knotted tighter and tighter in my hair as my tongue slipped over her lip, daring to taste her for a moment before remembering myself. I was five seconds from throwing her onto the bed and continuing this when thankfully, the dryer went off, dinging loudly to signal that it was the end of the cycle.

"Clothes are done," I whispered as I pulled away, swallowing down the venom that had pooled in my mouth.

"Oh," Bella scrunched up her eyebrows as if she was trying to figure out what that meant. "Oh yeah, I'll go get those. You probably want some pants."

"Yeah, I think I need those," I commented as she wondered downstairs. Leaning down against the door frame once again, I let out a heavy breath. This reaction to her was not one I had expected. It was almost too much to bear. I wanted her, and badly.

**Poor Bella seems really worried and confused... I think Edward's going to work on that some more soon. She needs to have that moment where she figures out that this is really happening. We'll see how that goes. **

**So, if you want to find out what's going on with me or my stories, come on over to twitter. Jayeliwood. Also, I've got a new story up. It's like the total opposite of this, completely out of character. It's called Of a certain age. Check it out!**

**I think Bella's trying to act stronger than she actually feels, what about you?**


	3. Wolves and Denial

_**Thanks for the fantastic reviews!**_

**Wolves and Denial**

I got dressed as Bella went back downstairs to make herself something to drink. I knew her throat was sore from the salt water. I wish I there was something I could do about that but I wasn't sure if there was anything. It was just something that would have to heal on it's own over time. It probably wouldn't take but a couple of days and some rest for it to recover. I heard her feet coming closer to the door so I hurried to pull my shirt on. I had just gotten it over my head when she spoke softly. It dangled off my shoulders as she spoke.

"Leave it off," Bella said quietly.

I ran a hand through my now dry hair, looking at her rather shyly. I probably would have blushed if I were able to. I wasn't use to being around anyone this way. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"You've been walking around in a lot less lately. I've gotten use to the view. Leave it off, please? I want to cuddle for a while." She said softly as she walked towards me. Gingerly, she ran her fingers down my forearms, ending at my hands. Bella gripped them slowly, sliding her palm against my own. "Is that okay?"

"I would like nothing more," I smiled slightly as I leaned down to peck her forehead. She was such a beautiful young woman, especially like this. Her skin was smooth and clean, nothing but pure Bella. I let my lips linger, enjoying the heat.

I picked her up carefully, much to her surprise, and took her to the bed, laying her underneath the covers. I went to move the blankets back over her so that she wouldn't be cold, but she stopped me. "No, I want to feel you. At least for a little while."

"You'll get cold," I warned. We knew this from much experience. She couldn't handle my body temperature for long. It wouldn't take twenty minutes for her teeth to start chattering.

"It's worth it," she said, reaching out her hand to me with her fingers curling towards me as she motioned me closer. "At least for a little while? If my teeth start to chatter then you can wrap me up right away. I promise."

I sighed, giving in too easily. Bella grinned when she realized she had won. Climbing into the bed, I pulled her to my body so that her chest was pressed against mine firmly. She brought her head to my shoulder, her fingers eagerly going to my stomach. Bella scratched her nails over my flesh, making every nerve ending standing on end. I swear she was still trying to make sure I was real. I tilted her head to the side and kissed her lips, trying to reassure her as much as possible. All of a sudden, she was on top of me, kissing my lips furiously. She growled against my lips when I became unmoving and unresponsive, her fingers gripping my shoulders.

"Bella, love..." I mumbled, lightly kissing her lips as I rolled her back onto her side. "You've had a long day and you're tired.

"But, I want you. I want to feel you." She said in a soft seductive voice. Did she even know what she was doing or did this come naturally to her?

"There is nothing more that I want," I said truthfully. That's something I could never lie to her about. I brought my face closer to hers and spoke in a husky voice, hoping to show her how very true it was. "But the first time I make love to you, I don't want you half asleep with a sore throat. Now, get some sleep."

"Will you be here when I wake up?" Bella asked, her head returning to my shoulder with a flushed face. I was glad that she didn't fight me too much on this because if she did... I think I would have given in. Actually, I was pretty sure I would. The emotional mix today was too much and I needed her as much as she needed me, I just controlled my emotions a bit better. But only a bit.

"I will be here, always."

It took only a few minutes for Bella to fall asleep as I hummed her lullaby. I hadn't allowed myself to think of the sweet melody while I was away from Bella, not even for a second. I couldn't. It was too heartbreaking for me. I didn't want to find any comfort while I made Bella suffer so. I made myself suffer in anyway I could while I was away. I wouldn't let either of us suffer now.

It was around three in the morning when I heard the rustling outside. The horrible scent hit me and I scrunched up my nose in displeasure. _Wolf_.

"I know you're in there, bloodsucker," I heard Jacob say in a quiet yet angry voice outside of Bella's window. He didn't want to wake up Bella. He could hear her soft breathing from out there.

I slowly and carefully dislodged myself from Bella's loose grasp, moving out of the bed so that I wouldn't make a single sound. She whimpered at the lose but sighed as I gave her a pillow to grip, the one I had my head on only a few minutes before. Shoving her nose into it, she took a deep relaxed breath and fell deeper into sleep. "Of course, I am." I said just as quietly, knowing that he could hear me.

I went to the window and opened it, looking down at him. There was no way I was leaving this room. He would just hand to deal with it. Jacob was standing there in nothing but cut up jeans, something fisted in his hand by his side.

"You're sloppy, leech." He said, throwing my forgotten flannel shirt up to me. I had left it in the woods, I realized, when Bella had kissed me earlier. "Smells like bear piss."

"That's because it is," I muttered, holding it so tightly that I ripped holes into it.

"You know, it doesn't matter. I have your scent now. I won't forget it." He said to me threateningly. I could tell that he meant what he said, but there wasn't really anything much he could do about it. Especially at this moment.

I knew I was antagonizing him, but I didn't care. I was getting really sick of his thoughts."I really should thank you, pup, for taking care of Bella while I was unable to. But, I will be taking my position once again and you are no longer needed."

"Position? You act as if it's a fuckin' job. Being with her is an honor. You don't deserve her." He hissed, his hands shaking. _Unstable annoying werewolves. _He needed to learn to better control himself if he ever wanted to normal once again.

"You're right about that. I don't deserve her, but she wants me for some reason and until she tells me to leave, I will be by her side. I am not stupid enough to make the same mistake twice." I informed him, not going to be bothered by his words.

"You're going to turn her into a parasite just like you," he said accusingly. I could see the pain very clearly in his mind. He hated the very thought of it. I turned my face away, unable to look at him. This was the one thing that could hurt me, but I'm not sure he knew that.

"I will do everything in my power to keep that from happening, Jacob." I whispered.

He growled as he looked up at me with furious eyes. "I don't believe you."

I was starting to get angry now. He had no right to speak to me this way. "That's really none of your concern."

He laughed humorlessly, eerily calm though his thoughts were very animalistic. "Oh, but it is. If you harm one hair on her head, I get to kill you. You may have gotten away with breaking the treaty once but I won't allow you to do it again, do you hear me? I wish I could-"

"Wish you could what?" I demanded. "Kill me right now?"

"Yes!" He all but shouted. Bella sighed and rolled over, taking the pillow with her. He swallowed back his emotions for a moment while she settled, evening out his voice in a harsh whisper. "I would love to tear you apart right now."

"But, you won't," I smirked at his threat.

He growled softly, the noise rumbling through his chest as he turned his face away. I could practically see fur at this point. I knew I was pushing him, but I didn't care. I wouldn't be too surprised if he did change soon, right in front of my eyes. "And why is that, leech?"

"Because you love her, dog. And hurting me would hurt her." I stated matter-of-factly.

"She'll get over it." Jacob snapped.

I laughed at his stupid logic, if there was any in his head at the moment. "Would she, animal? Would she forgive you? If you killed me you'd kill any chance of Bella ever loving you, and I think you're smart enough to know that. So, run along. Tell your leader that I need to meet with him soon on neutral land to discuss ridding the town of the nomad. I'll do it on his terms."

"We don't need your help."

"Ah, so have you riped up her body yet? Have you burned her?" There was silence. "Of course not."

"You haven't gotten her either," he said angrily, a smug expression on his face.

"That is true. Separate we won't be able to get her easily but if we work together we might be able to take her out before any more people are harmed. Besides, Sam will want to hear my offer."

His eyes narrowed on me. "What offer?"

"I will only discuss that with your alpha. Now go before you wake up Bella. She's had a long day and I won't allow you to ruin her rest. She exhausted."

He huffed loudly, his feathers- or rather fur- obviously ruffled. A few moments later I heard the crackling sounds of his transformation as his ripped through the trees towards his duty. A soft howling echoed through the woods and I knew he was going to talk to the others as well. I'm sure he wasn't suppose to come in this direction, the patrols probably about a mile outside of her house. I knew he couldn't resist goading me. He also wanted to check on Bella.

I looked at the shirt in my hands, flinching at the smell. Jacob was right about another thing. I was sloppy. I was just so distracted earlier. I wasn't ready for Victoria to know we were back yet, not tonight anyway. Soon enough I would make my presence know to her and she would never bother Bella or anyone else, ever again.

Charlie came home not long after, exhausted. He was just basically going to catch a nap and then grab a quick shower before going back up to the station. It was a lot to handle for this tiny town. They were out of their league in more ways than one.

He checked on Bella for a moment, checking to make sure she was still here and still living. When he saw her sigh heavily and roll over he was satisfied. He crawled into bed, literally asleep before his head hit the pillow. I'm not sure how he made it to his room, truthfully.

I cuddled with Bella after that, playing with her hair and smiling as she spoke softly in her sleep. They seemed to be mostly happy dreams and I was grateful for that. You would have thought after the day she had she would have had night terrors. Bella was so much stronger than she thought she was, which was a very good thing. I don't think she could have handled a romance with a vampire otherwise.

Charlie left before sunrise, drinking three cups of coffee before even leaving the house. After this was all over he would need a vacation. Otherwise, he was going to have a heart attack. I don't think Bella would be able to handle that. She loved her father dearly, even if they were awkward together.

I felt Bella's heart beat increase before her eyes even opened, a small smile coming over her face as she hugged herself closer to my chest. He nose pressed into my bare skin, hot breath flowing over it. I chuckled, kissing the top of her head lightly.

"You stayed."

"Of course I did, my love. I said I would," I said soothingly, running my fingers over her delicate cheek bones. I leaned in for a gentle kiss, letting our skin linger together deliciously. "How did you sleep?"

"Better than I have in months," she admitted quietly, like she was embarrassed by something. "I always slept better with you here. You know that."

"You can sleep in a little more, if you want," I offered as I looked over at the clock. It was just past eight. It was really quite early for a human, especially one that had such a rough one the day before. She could have slept until noon, if she wanted.

"I would but-" Bella began but her stomach growled loudly. She flushed, a soft giggle of embarrassment coming from her lips. "I didn't eat dinner last night. I don't remember if I had lunch either."

I sighed as I rolled my eyes at her words, "you take horrible care of yourself. You need to eat more often. You're so thin." I complained, touching her stomach. I could probably count her ribs through her clothing if I wanted to. I didn't want her to make herself sick.

"I forget to," she shrugged, not meeting my eyes.

"I'm going to take you out to dinner more often then. If you don't remember than I will." I said firmly, kissing the tip of her nose. "Come on, I'll make you some breakfast."

"I can fend for myself." Bella complained as she got up slowly. It was easy to tell that she was sore. I followed quickly after, walking behind her down the stairs. Her bare feet thumped against the wood, her hand gliding down the railing. "Besides I know you don't like it."

"Yes, but I like to do things for you," I corrected her thinking. "I really don't mind."

"Edward," she sighed my name like I was being silly. "All I want is a bowl of cereal or something easy like that. I'm not in the mood for anything else. I'll worry about something more to eat later."

"I'll take you out to grab something good for lunch or dinner then. You need a good meal." I informed her.

She turned to look at me before she got to the kitchen. "Do you want to be seen in public with me?"

"What kind of question is that?" I asked, shocked. Why would I not want to be seen in public with her? Did she think I was ashamed of her? It should have been the other way around.

"I mean, do you want people to know that you're back in town?" She rephrased her words carefully. Bella bit her lip, looking down at the ground. I knew that's not what she really meant but I wasn't going to push her. I couldn't blame her for her thinking. It was my fault after all.

"First, I'd like to run by house and pick up some fresh clothes, but yes. I want people to know I am back and I am with you. And, I want Victoria to know it too."

She seemed a bit surprised by this, forgetting her shyness for the moment. "Why?"

"I want her to know that you are not unprotected. Besides, she wants to torture me through you. She'll see her chance and it might make her sloppy. If I could take her out in a quick head on fight, that would be best for everyone. It would make everything end quicker. I just want you safe," I explained softly, walking over to the fridge to get the milk. Next I took a box of cereal and put some into a bowl. Bella took it from me, grabbing a spoon after pouring the milk into the frost flakes of squished and baked corn. She sat down at the table, quietly thinking over her food. "What's on your mind, love?"

"I don't think that will happen," she mumbled through a bite. "I mean, she knows I was protected before..."

I stopped her, knowing where she was going with this. "Yes, but I'm different from the werewolves. She wants me to suffer. I'm the one that killed her mate after all. She doesn't give a damn about them. But, you're right... I don't think it'll be that easier, either. I have a plan for the future."

"What's that?" She asked, her eyebrows knit together tightly. Her breakfast was all but forgotten. I nudged the bowl and she sighed, resuming eating quickly. I could tell she just wanted to get it over with at this point. "What's your plan?"

"I can't tell you just yet. I don't know if I have all the parts needed for it yet. When I'm sure, I will let you know." I said, brushing my fingers over her cheek. "Now, finish up. I'd like to go back to the house for a little while. I have some things to give you."

**I want to thank everyone so far who likes this story. I like it too lol. It's a lot of fun and I'm really into it. If you want something completely different, like OOC and AU, check out my other story Of a Certain age. **

**If you want to see what I'm up to and sometimes get previews, look me up on twitter! Jayeliwood like everything else I do. **

**Someone made a comment about Bella and the wolves not knowing that it was Victoria that was after her at this point. Yes they did. Remember, Bella figured it out once Laurent tried to eat her and the wolves saved her before she even realized Jacob was a werewolf. Just wanted to state that everyone's sake. Also, a lot of people have asked if there will be lemons. Well... lets just say... we'll see!**

**Hm, no realization on Bella's part yet, I'm afraid. It's coming soon though. It needs to happen so they can move on. But we talked about that last time. How do you think Edward handled Jake? Good, bad? **


	4. Realizations

**Realizations**

Bella wasted almost no time in getting ready. She took another shower, her hair a curly twisted mess from going to sleep with a wet head. I thought it was pretty cute, but she wasn't amused in the least. She stomped her way up the stairs, me following behind with a smile on my face at her little show.

I put on my shirt, cringing back at the rank smell._ For sure going to burn these in the fireplace._ That was going to be enjoyable, that was for sure. I had worn them for almost four months straight and nature's smell had not been kind to them. I'm glad Bella couldn't tell though.

"So," Bella began as she walked back to the bedroom, all blow dried and groomed. She smelt absolutely amazing. I knew I was staring at her, but I couldn't help it. She grinned when she noticed, coming to stand in front of me in the rocker. "What do you have to show me?"

"Ah, something special that I need to return to your possession." I told her with a little grin as I took her hips in my hands. "You'll see. Don't worry, didn't spend a dime."

She giggled, running her fingers through my hair as she bit her bottom lip. "You are so handsome," Bella whispered out of the blue. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered as I pulled her down to my lap. I wrapped her up in a tight hug and kissed her lips lightly before nuzzling her neck. I could do this for hours. I would if she allowed me to do so. She was so precious and beautiful. She had no idea of her real beauty. "Come on," I whispered after a few minutes of pleasant silence, "lets go to the house. I want to get out of these clothes."

"You can leave them off," she teased.

"Bella," I said in a warning tone.

"Edward," she mocked right back in the same tone, tilting her head to the side. "You can't blame a girl for trying."

"You'd be surprised," I chuckled as I stood up, picking her up as I did so. "Now, would you like to ride on my back or do you want me to carry you?"

"On your back," she said after thinking for a moment. I sigh, not wanting her to leave my arms but I liked feeling her weight against my back so it wasn't so bad. I placed her to her feet, bending down to allow her an easier time of it. She almost instantly hoped on, her legs tightly wrapping around her waist. I gripped her thighs to keep her secure as her arms went around her neck.

"Ready?" I said as I nodded my head towards the window. She looked a little nervous and buried her face into my head before nodding wildly.

"Ready," the word was muffled as she spoke against my neck. Her hot breath made a wild shiver run down my spine. I loved it.

I started at an instant run as I jumped out of the window, landing to my feet gracefully before running off towards my house. I didn't want people to see me just yet and this was the quickest way to travel. I could get there in just a few minutes compared to fifteen in Bella's truck anyway. Besides, I wanted to get my Volvo. Maybe I could take her to Port Angles for some Italian, just like our first sort of date. I think Bella would like that. I knew I would.

"I forgot how dizzy this makes me," Bella said against my neck.

"Just keep your eyes closed. We're almost there," I reassured her, taking deep breaths along the way to make sure that Victoria was no where around. I couldn't even catch a bit of her scent. She hadn't gone around the Cullen place in a long time and it had been even longer since she's been close to Bella's. The werewolves were too close. She was skimming the edges of the forest mainly, hoping Bella was stupid enough to go hiking on her own again.

I was absolutely positive that would never happen again. She wasn't really alone the first time but the wolves were coming and I didn't want to be torn to shreds in the middle of that fight. It would have done no one any good. I wanted to kill Laurent myself, that's for sure, but since I knew he was going to die anyway and I didn't want to bite it just yet- it just made sense. I'm sure I'd have to explain that all to Bella sometime. I wasn't sure how she'd react to that. Hopefully she'd understand. I think she would. She had taken everything so well, even if she did seem like she was in shock still. I think I would be in shock as well if I were her.

"We're here," I said as I reached the steps of the white house that held so many memories for me. I hadn't actually been inside for ages. It was a little too painful, even if I wanted to punish myself. It had been almost three months sense I had, and that's when I put on these clothes and hid the Volvo in the woods.

"Such a beautiful place," Bella whispered quietly as I put her down to her feet once again. "I've always thought it was the most beautiful house I've ever seen."

"It's one of my favorites, as well, but Esme has done better. You'll see one day, I think," I smiled at her as I unlocked the door, my other hand on the small of her back. "There are a few back east that are just... _breathtaking_. Maybe she'll build us a house just for us one day," I smiled at the thought.

"Maybe," she smiled back at me, her eyes peering up into mine.

We stood in the doorway for a long moment before I leaned down to kiss her. I couldn't get enough of it, or her. I think we were making up for lost time and I'm pretty sure Bella wasn't sick of it yet. I hoped she never did get sick of it. I knew I wouldn't tire of it, ever.

As I pulled away, I let my forehead rest against hers, "the things I want to give you are in my room."

"Hm," she mumbled as she pecked my smiling lips. She seemed a bit too distracted for speaking.

I picked her up again, this time so that her legs were around my waist and her arms around my neck at the front. It was almost as if it was an adult carrying a child. Bella even resting her head against my shoulder, her heartbeat slow and steady as she relaxed against me. I think she liked being held like this and I liked it as well. Though, I think I liked touching Bella in every single way.

Bella went to the window as I sat her down to go look for her items. I wanted to return them to her badly. Now that we were together again, there was no reason to hide them from her. I knew she needed them as much as I needed to give them to her. I knew it broke her heart when I took them away from her. She was starring out into the trees when I came behind her and wrapped my arms around her, the gifts from her birthday and the photos in my hands.

"I believe these are yours," I said into her ear, kissing it lightly.

"My... the CD. It's the CD you made me and the pictures. Everything from my birthday." She said in surprise as she took them from my grip. Bella gazed at them for a long moment. "Thank you," she whispered in reverence.

"You are more than welcome. I couldn't get rid of them, of course. I was... I was hoping, in a way, I would be able to give them back to you again one day. That maybe one day things wouldn't be this way and-" I shook my head, trying without much success to explain my reasoning for all of this. I don't think she could really understand. "I just knew that they would be yours again," I finished, not really knowing how to.

"This is wonderful," she turned and pecked my lips lightly.

I smiled, just happy she was pleased. "I'm going to take another shower and I'm going to change clothes. Then we can go where ever you want. We have a whole week before we have to do anything and you have my utmost attention."

"A week?" Bella asked in confusion.

"Before school starts back," I grinned. At least it would be more entertaining than sitting outside of the school. "I'll be returning with you next Monday. If that's okay with you?" I asked just to be sure.

"Of course, of course," she said quickly, shaking her hair so that her waves were in front of her face. I leaned forward and pushed it behind one ear, lifting her chin up to look at me.

"I'm not going to leave again. We're together always now, if you want me," I assured her.

"I want you," Bella said hoarsely, her voice thick with emotion.

I leaned in for a soft kiss. "Then I'm yours. Now, why don't you relax a bit? Maybe listen to music while I go get changed and showered. I want some new clothing. These are awful."

"Sound like Alice," she teased as she walked back towards the window, hugging the items to her chest.

"Alice usually isn't talking about the smell," I joked in return. "I won't be long, I promise."

I showered rather quickly, scrubbing my body of as much of the smell as I could. The dip in the ocean and the shower last night helped, but putting those clothes back on didn't. I was glad to be able to scrub my body with my body wash and to wash my hair in my shampoo. This had been a pleasure I had been denying myself and I had missed it. I loved the way the water ran over my skin, relaxing my tense muscles.

I had taken some clothes into the bathroom with me so I didn't have to go back into my room with a towel on. Bella was far too tempting when she was lustful and I didn't want to make it any easier for her. I was already on the verge of caving in and I hated myself for that. I just wanted to comfort her and be comforted by her and her body.

Brushing my teeth and combing my hair after getting dressed, I made my way back to my room. The faint sounds of the CD I had made Bella for her birthday were playing in the back ground, the rapid thumping of Bella's heart giving the music a whole new beat. Something was wrong.

I opened the door to find Bella pressed against the window, her forehead smashed against the glass as she silently sobbed. The pictures she had taken were clutched in her hands.

"Bella, what's wrong love? Are you hurt?" I asked fanatically as I made my way over to her.

"This is real. You're real. You're really here," she whispered through her sobs.

I laughed a little quietly, "of course it is and of course I am."

"I thought- I thought that maybe I was dead and this was heaven or maybe I was in a coma and dreaming. But, this is real," she said as I touched her shoulders.

"If you were dead you'd be in heaven, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be there," I told her truthfully as I kissed her salty cheek. She whirled around to look at me, her expression angry.

"You- you lied to me. I wanted to die, Edward. I wanted to die in that forest after you left me. I felt like a zombie. I felt worthless. You LIED to me. You wanted to protected me? Was it protecting me or yourself?!" Bella began to yell louder and louder with every word, her fists beginning to pound against my chest. I cringed with every hit because I knew she was only hurting herself with this.

My heart broke with more with every word, "I thought I was doing what was right."

"Right? Right for who, Edward? I lost you, the man I love. My soul mate and then I lost my best friend and the family that I wish were my own when you left me." Bella growled through her tears, her fury frightening me. I slowly backed up, giving her some space but she walked with me, pounding my chest still. "I felt so lonely! I had nothing. I wanted to die but I was too much of a coward to do it."

I grabbed her wrists to stop her movement. "I know, I'm so sorry. You have no idea how much I hate myself. I know it was a mistake now. It was a foolish mistake. If I could take it all back I would. Every second we were apart I only wanted to be with you. I love you, Isabella. I love you so very much and I hate myself for doing this to you. I'm a monster."

"I wanted to die," she whimpered through her tears as she lost all her strength. Bella slid down slowly with me still holding her wrists. She had nothing left in her to pull them away from my grasp. "I wanted to die and you just watched me. You saw the pain I was in and you did nothing."

"I was trying to keep you safe. You don't know how many times Victoria has gotten close to you. Bella, I wanted to die too but the only thing that stopped me was you. I just-" I said as I came down to kneel in front of her. Letting go of her wrists, I put my hands in front of my face. "Fuck!"

Her head snapped up, never hearing me really curse before. I had once when I saved her from the van but that was extreme. Gentlemen didn't cuss. I wasn't much of a gentlemen at the moment though. I was some idiot teenager who didn't know how to do the right thing. I needed to make this right but I wasn't sure how I could.

Bella clutched her stomach as if it was the only thing keeping her together and laid her head down on the carpet, curling into a tight little ball. It was awful to watch. "I don't know what to do," she whispered.

"Neither do I," I whispered as I laid beside her, my face inches from hers. "I can't live without you."

"Then change me."

"What?" I lifted up slightly so I could look into her eyes. "Bella, I can't-"

"You say you can't live without me? One day I'm going to die no matter what you do. Change me." She argued, mirroring my position.

"When your life ends, I will end mine," I shook my head, unable to meet her gaze.

"NO! You will not do that. You were given this life for a reason and if you throw it away then I would never forgive myself. Change me."

"No, Bella!"

She growled as she stood up, "if you don't do it, I will find a way. I will ask Alice. She knows we're suppose to be together. Or, Esme, she wants me to be a part of this family. Or, Carlisle, he has enough control. Or, hell! Maybe I'll just get a roll of wrapping paper and go to town in front of Jasper if no one else will!"

I cringed back at the mental image of the last one. "Please don't say such things."

"Then change me!" I demanded.

"I cannot do that!"

My phone started to ring in my pocket and I growled. I knew exactly who it was and I refused to answer it. I knew it was Alice trying to talk some sense into me. Taking the piece of plastic into my hands, I crunched it into little pieces.

"Very nice, Edward," She said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "That was Alice, I bet. She knows! Why don't you listen to her! I will be like you one day. I will not live without you and I won't allow you to die. There is nothing you can say or do that will change how I feel about those two things."

"So, I don't have a choice on this, do I?" I said, pulling at the ends of my hair.

"No, you don't." She huffed dramatically.

I rolled my eyes, turning my back on her. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I took in a deep breath. "I can't- I don't think I can do that."

I felt her soft and warm hands slide up my back as she walked closer to me. "Then we'll talk to Alice or Carlisle. Carlisle will do this for us. He could consider it an early graduation present."

Laughing without humor, "for the girl who has everything, eternal damnation."

"A eternity with you wouldn't be damned. It would be heaven."

"Bella, you can't ask this of me," I whispered, running my fingers through my hair.

"No, I can ask Carlisle. He's done it four times, he can do it a fifth."

"You can't expect me to be happy with this," I said quietly, still unable to look at her. "You can't-"

"I'll have thousands of years to change your mind about it," she said hoarsely, the joy evident in her voice as she circled around my waist. Her arms wrapped around me and she kissed my chin lightly. I sank into her touch a little bit as she kissed up the side of my jaw slowly until Bella reached my ear. It felt so good and I felt so horrible for giving into her. There was nothing else I could do though. I was lost without her.

She was right and I hated that.

"I love you," I whispered as she continued to kiss my ear, standing on her tip toes to do so. I felt Bella grin and she whispered it in return. "Can you do something for me?" I asked. "I just have one request."

"What's that?" She smiled, running her fingers over my cheeks.

"Wait until the first of the year." Bella raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to explain myself to her. "I haven't been able to have a Christmas with you, as a human. I haven't been able to see you in the snow, flushed and beautiful. I haven't been able to hear your heart speed up when you realize you're standing under the mistletoe. I haven't-"

"Okay, January first." She nodded her head in agreement. I think she was just thrilled that she got her way. "We'll talk to Carlisle about it. Are they coming back?"

I shrugged my shoulders, despair filling my soul. "I'll talk to them. We can go to them if they don't want to come here but I'm betting Alice is already halfway here by now. That's probably why she called."

"This isn't the end of the world, Edward," she chided me for being so depressed. Such a silly thing. It was only her soul, her chance at a spot in heaven. Truly, what did I have to be depressed about? When I didn't say anything she tugged on my hair and forced me to look at her. "This is a good thing."

"I have failed you. All I want to do is protect you from death and instead I'm giving it to you on a silver platter. What a horrible protector I am. What a horrible creature-"

Her lips smashed to mine, hushing me of my rant. "Shut up," Bella muttered against them. "Just shut up. This is what I want. This is my choice. I chose you, Edward."

"By choosing me, you choose to be stuck in this damned reality."

"Will you do everything in your power to make me happy?" She asked out of the blue.

I rolled my eyes, looking away from her. "What kind of silly question is that?"

"Just answer it, please."

"Of course. You are my world, my light. I would do anything and everything to make you happy."

"Then the rest of my days will be happy, because they will be spent with you. And I will do everything in my power to make you happy, Edward. I love you. Anything bad that may come from this," she shook her head, " it doesn't matter. The good far outweighs the bad."

"I wish I could think like you," I laughed brokenly, resting my forehead against hers.

"Let me take your fears away..."

**Finally it hit here. And I wanted her to be a little more angry than she was in the original story. Before she had the excuse of him trying to off himself where he doesn't have that right now. She has a right to be pissed off. He deserved to be at least yelled out. And look at what he agreed to! Good, finally, huh?**

**On twitter if you want to follow! Jayeliwood if you want previews and other fun info. **

**Hehe, okay, I got to admit that the roll of wrapping paper and going to town in front of Jasper cracked me up. So, do you think Bella was the right amount of angry and upset?**


	5. Lost and Found

**Lost and Found**

"Bella," I said in a way of warning but it didn't seem to work because she continued to kiss me, moving down to my jaw and planting soft sweet kisses along it. I tried to say it again but it came out more as a soft moan as her lips started to kiss along the base of my neck. My fingers flexed in her hair, massaging her scalp. Instead of pulling her away, I brought her closer. "We shouldn't do this," I said as I leaned my head back.

"Why not? I'm going to be with you for the rest of time. I want to show you how much I love you. I want you to feel it. I want to feel you," Bella spoke against my neck, her fingers sliding over my stomach as they slipped underneath my button down shirt.

"I could hu-" I began but she cut me off with a searing kiss, almost literally. Her hand slid further up my shirt and scrapped down my chest.

"A human boy could hurt me, too, Edward. You should know that better than anyone. You remember what those guys in Port Angles wanted to do to me." I growled at her words, still wishing I could kill those bastards. I should have. The world would have been a safer place. "See! Edward, I'm yours. Make me yours."

"Dammit," I sighed as I picked her up. She quietly squeaked as I did so and also when I pressed her against the window. "Why are you doing this? I can't- I can't hurt you, Bella. I love you too much to. I want you so badly and it's so-"

"You want me?" Bella whispered like she was so uncertain. What was there to be uncertain about? Of course I wanted her! I thought about her, and all the amazing things we could do together, all the time damn time. I hated how it plagued me at times. The thoughts that I despised my fellow classmates for having I was having myself. I automatically pressed my arousal against her, letting her feel it again. I had done it the day before but things were different now. I wanted to prove once again that I wasn't some crazy dream that her coma suffered brain created. She moaned, leaning her head back as her arousal burned against me. I closed my eyes, thrusting my hips against her at the noise. A sharp hiss left her lips and my eyes snapped open.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Are you kidding me?" She breathed, her voice nothing but pure sex. Her legs tightened around my waist, pulling me even closer to her. It was so damn wonderful. Her fingers went into my hair, teasing me in the best possible way. "I want to feel you do that without clothing," Bella said in a whisper, her face the color of a tomato but I don't think it was from embarrassment. I think it was from being that turned on. I could smell it all around me.

"I want you, I really really," I groaned as her lips ghosted my ear, my control waining by the second, "want you, Bella."

I could feel it. I could feel the control I clung to so dearly slipping away from me. Every emotion I had felt over the past few days was bubbling up at the surface, every single bit of it. The relief, the fear, the sadness, the elation, the happiness, the joy, the playfulness, and the desire. It was ebbing away and I was going to give it. Not because of the request or the way Bella said it, but because I wanted to. I wanted her body. I had wanted her body as much as her blood that first day we had met. She made every gentlemanly impulse I had disappear in seconds. I wanted to ravish her. I wanted to nibble on her delicious skin and it had nothing to do with feeding. Well, maybe it did. It had to do with feeding my desire for her. I was starved and she was my elixir. I could get drunk on her body.

_Control, Control, Control.... _I chanted over and over again in my head but then her own hips pressed forward, rubbing against me as her sweet hot little tongue flicked over my ear. "Edward," she breathed, her name barely a whisper or a breath. It held so much meaning though. So much love. So much desire.

"Fuck," I groaned and I began to kiss her neck, sucking on her skin a little bit. She giggled, lulling her head to the side. Bella had known she had won and I couldn't help the little laugh I gave at the noise of victory. It was so light and carefree. I loved it. "Do you know what you do to me?" I asked her breathlessly, "do you know the control you have over my body?"

Instead of answering, Bella said, "I wish I did. You obviously know what you do to mine."

I moved us over to the couch, her still wrapped around my waist but instead of sitting down I put Bella down to her feet. Moving my fingers through her hair, I gazed into her eyes. "If we do this, we can never take it back. Is this something you want?"

"I want you. I never would want to take it back. I love you and I want to be a part of you." Bella told me very seriously, her fingers brushing over my shoulders. "You are the most beautiful man I have ever seen."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes at her words. "I'm not a man."

Bella hands moved down my arms before moving to my stomach, one slid up with the other went down and brushed against my solid jean covered erection. Her fingers went to my neck, making me look into her eyes. "This obviously states otherwise."

"When did you get so bold?" I whispered as leaned my head back. My head tilted back at the sensation of her on me, rubbing me gently.

"When I realized that I don't want to be a door mat and if I want something, or someone, I'm going to have to take charge of some things." I opened my mouth to respond, saddened by the thought. Is that how I made her feel? Like a door mat? I never meant to. Bella shook her head, smiling up at me sweetly. "Past is the past, but some things will change between us. You have to trust me. Don't decided what you need to do to protect me without talking to me about it. There are two people in this relationship, not just one. You can't control everything in it."

Ah, there it was. Control. She was right though, very much so. I nodded my head and smiled. "Of course."

I brought my hand to her hair, twisting my fingers into it so I could feel the silkiness. Twisting and tugging on it, Bella's eyes rolled into the back of her head. It was so beautiful to watch. "I love when you do that," she whispered.

"What else do you like? I want to learn everything. Teach me, teach me how to touch you. Tell me what you want and I'll do it. I want to be yours."

Bella let out a heavy breath as her face colored. She licked her lips, her eyes roaming my face before they dipped down to my shirt. Biting her lip, she took a step forward and slowly began to unbutton it. I brought my hands up to help her but she stopped me, shaking her head. "I want to take off your shirt."

"Can I take off yours?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. Some of my sarcasm melted away when she finished, her eyes raking over my chest before her nails did. I groaned, biting my own lip so hard that I'm surprised I didn't take it off.

"If you want to," she said brassily, her tone almost smug. Bella was far too proud of herself.

I licked my bottom lip, running my hands just underneath her own shirt. I was very glad at this moment that she was wearing a button down as well because it made my next move all that much more dramatic. "Look at me," I commanded her in a whisper. I brought my hands up and pressed them up her stomach, just until I reached her breasts. Gliding over her nipples for just a second with my thumb, I suddenly grabbed her shirt at the seams and ripped it open. Buttons flew everywhere. Bella gasped and then giggled, surprise coloring her skin.

"Show off," she said to me, pushing the shirt from my shoulders. I only moved my hands away from her skin long enough to get it off. The black fabric floated to the floor, an aching silence growing between us.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't have myself be the only one without a shirt," I told her innocently, practically batting my eyelashes at her.

"Oh? Is that so?" She said, taking a step back from me. With a little shrug, the shirt fell off of her shoulders and she carefully tugged the three quarter sleeves downwards. It dropped to the floor behind her, her beautiful white skin glowing in the dim sunlight that filtered in from the window. Her bra was pale white and innocent, the color of snow. It almost matched her skin. Her arm reached behind her and she raised a pretty little eyebrow, "should this go as well?"

I swallowed back the venom that pooled in my mouth, my Adam's apple bobbing with the movement. Bella grinned sweetly before lowering her eyes, popping the hooks on her bra. She slid it off of her body, but covered herself with one of her arms so that she wasn't exposed to me yet. I couldn't have that.

"Let me see you," I said as I took her hands and brought them above her body. I slid my own hands downwards past her elbows, slightly tickling her flesh where her arms melt her shoulders before tracing a single fingertip over one of her perky pink nipples. It was already quite hard when I touched it but it harden even more after a second of playing with it. "You are a Goddess, Isabella."

Bella moaned loudly as I gave her other breast the same treatment. I was going to touch every inch of her body by the end of the day. Hopefully I'd be able to kiss, lick, and massage it as well. Her arms bent back at the elbows as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Have you ever touched yourself like this?" I asked her quietly, my voice husky and rich. You could practically hear the fire smoldering underneath, the fire that was flowing through my veins at the moment. "Have you touched yourself and thought of me?"

Now, I didn't truthfully see Bella do anything like this, while she was awake anyway. She had touched herself a little in her sleep and always through clothing, which was a torturous heaven for me. But, I always thought that she did, at least when I wasn't there. She was too embarrassed to do it while I was there. I knew that she hadn't done it in the past months though, I knew that for sure.

"Yes," she whispered, as if she'd talk too much louder her voice would crack with embarrassment.

"Have you imagined my hands on you like this?" I asked as I cupped one of her breasts, flicking my thumb over it. The stiffness was pleasant and oh so erotic.

"Edward, don't tease me," she pouted in a soft whine, her eyes closed. I could tell she was a little worried about looking at me. With my free hand I took her chin and forced her to look at me while still gripping her breast.

"I am not teasing you. I have very intention of finishing this. I just want to know the answer, because Bella," I began, leaning in closer and closer with every word as I lowered my voice, "I've thought about it. I've thought about you this way. How could I not? You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

She closed the distance between us slowly, kissing my lips firmly with her fingers in my hair. I massaged her breast for a moment longer before slipping both arms around her waist and pulling her up to me. Picking her up this way, she wrapped her legs once again around my waist.

"I wish I had a bed," I told her truthfully as I thought about our options. I certainly wasn't going to do it in someone else's bed. And I didn't want to make love to her on the floor either.

"Couch," Bella whispered against my lips before kissing me again. I nodded my head in agreement.

I never thought such a simple movement could be so sexy, so sensual. I laid her back slowly onto the leather, her hair fanning all out around her. One arm draped over her stomach while the other extended above her head. Bella looked up at me through heavy lidded eyes, biting her bottom lip.

Any doubts I had about making love to Bella washed away as I looked at her like this. She was so beautiful and she was mine. She was offering herself up for me, how could I not gladly take that gift? Because that's what Bella was, a beautiful and amazing gift.

With a reverent touch, my hands danced down her stomach to the button of her light blue jeans. I flicked the button carefully, and tugged the fabric downward until I reached her knees. Leaning down I began to kiss her stomach, taking off her boots as I did so.

"Oh," she moaned, her back arching upwards. "That feels so good," Bella whispered.

Tracing her belly button with my tongue, I pulled her boots free and dropped them to the floor. Next, I pulled off her socks, kissing the place where the pulled down pants had exposed. Bella gasped, both arms above her head now.

_Her panties matched her bra_, I thought briefly to myself as I pulled her jeans the rest of the way down. Just a kiss of lace to make it sexy. Bella's toes flexed as I dropped her pants to the floor, her eyes closed as she took a deep relaxed breath. Bella was so hot all over. The heat was practically radiating off of her body.

"You are better than I ever imagined," I told her truthfully. "I didn't realize that anyone could be so beautiful."

She turned her head to the side, her nose scrunching up at the comment. I knew she didn't believe me but at least now I had the rest of time to try to prove that to her. "You do make me feel beautiful," she finally whispered back as my hands traced worshipfully over her legs. Finally, she looked up at me when she spoke again, "you're wearing too many clothes.

"Am I now?" I smirked playfully. "Want to do something about that?"

"Mm, yes please."

I sat up slowly, running my fingers through my hair to try to clear my mind. It was a jumbled mess of all the dirty thoughts I was having. I wanted nothing more than to lay her back on this couch and bury myself deep within her. It was hard to go slow. I had been waiting for this moment for decades. I had to keep remind myself that this was a special moment but my teenage hormones were screaming otherwise.

Because no matter what I wished and how I aged, I was still a teenage boy. And Bella was a adolescent as well, with the same urges and desires but there was a difference between us and almost all other teenagers. There was love backing this. A powerful, earth shattering, love.

Bella lifted up on her elbows and with one hand as she looked up at me, she popped open the button of my jeans. Sitting up a little more, she tugged them further down. "Oh... you don't... I mean..."

I laughed, looking down at what she saw, "yeah, I don't wear underwear. Is there a reason I should?"

"To keep me from passing out in surprise," she mumbled and I chuckled until she leaned forward and began to kiss my stomach, tugging the denim further down my hips, exposing me to the air. Her tongue rolled over my hips until she got to the little trail that led down to what I wanted her to kiss the most.

_Gentlemen, gentlemen, I am a gentlemen..._

Bella licked her lips as she looked up at me, pulling the offending fabric completely away. I stepped out of them before coming to kneel at the end of the couch at her feet. "Once again, the balance of clothing is uneven," I teased, eying her panties. Her entire body heated deliciously, little splotches of color dancing across her chest.

Instead of allowing me the pleasure of taking them off, Bella hooked her thumbs into the satin and lace fabric and tugged them toward to her knees. She wiggled her hips with the effort, closing her eyes loosely with concentration. It was so cute and sexy all at the same time. When she reached her knees, I took over and allowed her to slip her feet out of the holes.

And there she laid in front of me, nude and beautiful. She was perfect, a lovely gift just for me. _God created her for me_, my mind shouted at me._ I have to have a soul to have a soul mate. _

At that moment I couldn't wait any longer. I had to touch her, fill her, kiss her. I fell forward onto my hands and kissed her firmly, or as firmly as I would dare, as my body made a space between her legs. I pressed forward slightly, letting her warm touch me. She was so moist and hot. A soft rumble of pleasure fell from her lips as she gasped for air when I pulled away.

"Are you sure?" I asked again. I wouldn't be able to stop soon if she didn't tell me. I wouldn't want to stop. I needed her so badly that I ached. Every fiber of my being ached with need, desire, lust, want and every other word you could think of. I searched her eyes for the answer.

"Yes, more sure than I have ever been about anything before." Bella said as she raked her fingers through my hair. "Don't stop."

I kept my eyes on hers as I slowly pressed myself forward. "I don't want to hurt you," I whispered truthfully, the fear playing at my words.

"A human-"

"I know, and don't care. It doesn't change the fact that I don't want to hurt you," I told her as I struggled to stay still. I wondered if she could feel the shaking in my body, the fear.

"Go slow. We'll get there together."

Together, I don't know why that seemed like such a novel concept. I nodded my head and swallowed back the fear as I broke past her virginity. Bella gasped softly, the scent of blood hitting my nose. I stood still, more for my control more than for her comfort. My brain was telling me to jump back, to stop it while my hormones and my heart telling me to wait, telling me that it would get easier.

Bella began to move herself slowly, pressing herself upwards, up and down on me. I moaned, slowly matching her movements. I loved it so much. It felt so good. I was in the middle of the fire and I loved it. I brought my hand to her thigh, splaying my fingers out as I wrapped her leg around my hip. I pressed myself deeper and groaned, a soft moan escaping her own lips. "There," she breathed, "right there."

"Does it feel good?" I asked, just to make sure.

"So good. Don't stop," Bella requested, her eyes closed tightly as her back arched upwards.

Each movement was slow and deliberate. I hit her spot over and over again, moving slightly faster at her request. Soon, sooner than I expected, Bella was nearly screaming. Her head was completely tilted back with eyes wide but unseeing as her mouth hung open as she gasped between cries of pleasure. The hot liquid seeped from her body and down my thighs.

"I'm not going to last much longer," I said through gritted teeth as a warning. It really didn't mean much for me, but I'm sure it would be cold and I didn't want her to be surprised.

"Let go, please. Just enjoy," Bella said as her eyelashes fluttered. I'm not sure she even knew she was speaking. It was deliciously sexy. She was a vixen, a temptress. She was a goddess in a human body.

"Oh, god," I cried out as if in prayer. My body trembled as I continued to thrust, my control completely gone. I let myself spill inside of her and she cried out in surprise. "I'm sorry," I whispered, almost about to pull out when her leg tightened around me.

"Don't you dare apologize," Bella informed me firmly as her nails dragged down my shoulders. My body automatically reacted to the action and pressed forward deep inside of her. Bella gasped, a shuttering breath escaping her throat.

She hadn't... hadn't released, I realized, even if she was enjoying it immensely. I wanted her to. I wanted to feel that sensation around me. Bending forward as I continued to move, I began to suckle her neck with my chest pressed firmly against her. I could feel her nipples harden even more with the cold, her arms wrapping tightly going around my neck.

"Oh, oh, oh..." Bella panted as her head thrashed to the side, giving me better access to the nape. My lips and tongue suckled and teased her there while my hand massaged the junction where her back met her tight. And then she went silent as she tightened around me. I gasped in surprise, not expecting it to be so intense. I spilled inside of her once again, the milking only becoming stronger as I did so.

"Oh, god," I panted once again against her neck as I came down from my unreal high. Every muscle in her body was relaxed, sweat covered, and probably sore. Bella shivered delicately as I kissed her collarbone. I realized that she was probably cold so I rolled to side so my back was against the back of the couch and grabbed the throw blanket I had gotten just for Bella. I was always worried that she would get too cold when we kissed, so it was nice to keep it around.

I tucked it around her body, her too tired to move it would seem but there was a satisfied grin on her face. I covered up my hips, trying to hide the fact that I was already aroused again. I could do that all day and never get tired of it. That was probably the best part of being a vampire, if I had to guess.

"Wow," Bella said in almost a laugh, smiling up at me as her fingers traced over my cheek bones. "Why didn't we do that sooner?"

"Oh, there is a whole safety issues," I began but she covered my lips with her hand all while rolling her eyes.

"Safety shouldn't be an issue," she told me as she set up. The blanket fell from her body and I realized something. Her skin was completely bruised and I gasped, touching the places gently.

"Shouldn't it be? Look what I did to you!" I explained, feeling disgusted.

Bella looked down with a frown, touching her skin. "Oh, they're darker now. I had these earlier. They're probably from yesterday in the water. You weren't exactly gentle with me. You didn't just do this, Edward. This is from you saving me."

"Are you sure?" I asked, unsure. It did make some sort of sense. I probably should have noticed them earlier but I was rather distracted.

Bella pushed me back so that I was laying flat on the couch and she switched positions so that she was now on top. Bringing the throw around her body, she straddled my waist and grinned. "Yes, I'm sure. Don't worry so much. Besides, you know how easy I bruise."

"Those are new though," I said as I reached up, brushing my fingers over the deep purple marks on her neck.

Bella laughed, "are you surprised you gave me a hickey or two? I'm surprised I don't have more." She sighed, shaking her head, "I'm going to need some turtle necks for a while. I hope it doesn't get too warm."

I laughed a little, running my hand over my face. I'd seen humans give much worse marks than that on their lover. Bella wasn't freaking out so I needed to relax too. "We can go get you some-" I began but there was a car coming up the road. It took me a few seconds to realize who it was. Then there was a second, confirming my thoughts.

"Get dressed," I said, slowly sitting up.

"What? Why?" She asked, somewhat annoyed and surprised.

"The family is here."

**I love this chapter. This is one of my favorite lemons, truthfully. I wanted him to give in the real stories. I mean, he should have. Any teenage boy, no matter what day and age, would have given in eventually. Also, I thought the timing might help him not freak out so much about the bruises that would have been caused in BD. **

**On twitter if you want to find out what's going on with me and my stories! Jayeliwood! And if you need something else to read, I've got another story going on right now called Of a Certain Age. Totally AU. **

**I wanted to make it a bit more realistic with you know, Edward being a teenage boy. I mean, teenage boys aren't known for their control with certain (cough premature) things but with Edward having over advantages, I think Bella would still have her fun. How'd I do?**


	6. Family

**Family**

Bella hurriedly put back on her panties and bra while I retrieved my jeans. Bella's shirt was ruined from my moment of excitement and dramatics earlier so I handed her my own. She smiled up at me slowly, buttoning it as she gazed at me. It could have been a dress. It went all the way down to her knees.

"You look so sexy in that," I whispered as I pressed a kiss to her forehead. Bella ran her fingers over my chest, the scent of new arousal hitting my nostrils. I was going to end up literally jumping her if she didn't stop that.

"You don't look have bad yourself," she said as her lips kissed my chest lightly, her nails raking down my back.

"Ready or not," Alice said softly by the car in the garage, her voice a giggle.

"Of course I'm not ready," I muttered back. Bella pulled back, looking at me with shock. "Alice," I answered her silent question quickly. "I was talking to Alice."

"Oh," she laughed, pulling away from me to pick up her jeans. I groaned as she bent over, her lovely backside in my direction. "Are you looking at my ass?"

"Um..." I muttered in embarrassment at being caught. I wasn't smooth in the least. "Would you blame me?"

"No, I would be doing the same thing," she teased right back, giving me a little wink over her shoulder. Placing each foot in the right hole, she tugged it upwards. Bella barely had it zipped up when Alice practically broke down the door.

"I hope someone's hungry! I've brought the best Chinese from Seattle and it's still hot!" Alice said with a wicked little grin. Her thoughts weren't nearly as innocent. She was teasing me mercilessly in her head.

"Oh, Alice!" Bella said happily, running to my sister. Alice passed the food off to Emmett quickly before Bella pounced on her, wrapping her in a tight hug. "I've missed you so much."

"I've miss you too," Alice said, emotions running deep in her voice as she pulled back. "But, we're going to be sisters now so you know what? You're going to get sick of me."

Bella laughed softly, "I highly... okay, maybe not highly, but I doubt it." Bella placed her hands on her shoulders. "Emmett! You're back too!"

"We're all back, baby sis," Emmett laughed, giving her a one armed hug. Alice rolled her eyes as she once again took the food, going to take it down stairs to keep warm in the oven. "Oh, it is so good to see you again." Emmett looked directly at me from over her shoulder. _Man, you can smell the sex in here from a mile away. _

_We're down in the dining room when you guys are ready_, Esme thoughts rang in my head. I smiled slightly, missing her sweet and innocent thoughts.

"Shut up," I whispered, only causing Emmett to laugh. I rolled my eyes, going over to my beautiful girlfriend. "Okay, why don't we go downstairs and get you something to eat. I know you must be hungry."

"Yeah, especially after all that activity," Emmett teased loud enough for Bella to hear this time. I smack his shoulder hard, the rumbling noise echoing down the hall. Bella snorted at the playful activity, walking in front of us so that her hips swayed. Both Emmett and my attention went straight to the swaying area. I smacked his shoulder again once I realized. "What?" He groaned, rubbing his shoulder.

"Mine," I said in a warning tone. "Stop looking, you pervert," I hissed so she couldn't hear.

"You were looking," he accused.

"Yea, but she's my girlfriend. Where's your wife?" I said, fighting the urge to hit him once again.

"In our room," he muttered. He was none too happy about the fact that she was throwing a fit right now. She was tired of getting moved around for a human girl. Soon I would have to tell them for sure that she wouldn't be a human much longer and that she would be part of the family. That is if Alice didn't already tell everyone.

Esme was waiting at the bottom of the stairs to give Bella a big hug, pulling her tightly to her. "Oh, I've missed you, dear!"

"I've missed you, too." Bella smiled over her shoulder. "Hi Carlisle."

"Hello, darling." He said, touching her hair as if she was already his daughter. He gave me a knowing grin, touching her cheek. "You grow more beautiful with each passing day. You're glowing."

"That's called after-" I elbowed Emmett hard, knocking the wind out of him. He finally got the hint and retreated up to his room before we went into a full fledge fight and we destroyed the house. Esme nor Rosalie would be too happy about that.

The door opened and Jasper came in, carrying several of Alice's large bags. He gave an ashamed sigh, looking down at his feet. He looked like he was ready to bolt in any second if he had to. In his mind I could tell that he wanted to.

"Hello, Jasper," Bella said as Esme dropped her down to her feet. Taking a step forward, I felt my entire body tense. Jasper felt the tension grow himself, not able to look at me.

There was a swirl of thoughts in his head, his own fear and shame building up in him. He didn't want to hurt her though. He felt embarrassed at his actions. He knew he could do better if he tried, or at least, he hoped he could. "Bella," he said tersely.

"I'm glad to see you again," Bella began. Jasper scoffed before he could stop himself. "I am. I know you can tell it's the truth."

"Why aren't you afraid of me?" He whispered, surprised at her own emotions. There was nothing there that he expected. There was no fear and there was no hate. There was only worry not for her own safety but for his mental state, along with concern, hope and an apologetic air swirling around it all.

"Because there is nothing to be afraid of. What happened that night was not your fault. You are what you are. Nothing you or I can do to change that. You were fighting on instincts. I should have been more careful and that was my fault. I'm sorry."

"There is no reason for you to be sorry," Jasper shook his head. "If I had better control..."

"Control is sometimes hard to hold onto." I interrupted him. He looked up at me and gave a little grin when he realized I wasn't angry at him. I was, in the past, but no longer. Time heals all wounds, I suppose. "Why don't you get those to your room? Are there any more? Want me to help?"

"There is another few things in the jeep if you want to go get them. That would be nice," he nodded his head. I nodded my own, going over to Bella and lightly kissing her forehead.

"Get you something to eat and go catch up. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Jasper headed up to the bedroom while I grabbed a few of the things left from the jeep and Mercedes. They weren't all Alice's thankfully. Just as I was about to walk in the door, I caught a foul scent. I dropped the bags to the ground. Everyone in the house became alerted, except Bella.

"I'll handle this," I said to my family. "They're here to talk to me."

_We're here and ready when you need is,_ Carlisle thought.

Rosalie's thoughts weren't so kind, the first time since she arrived unblocking herself from me. _Great, the wolves. We'll never get the stench out. Worse than the human. _

"Come out," I called to the wolves softly as I ignored my sister. "In human form, if you please."

I heard the faint popping of their change back into human form and then the scramble to return their shorts. About a minute later, Embry and Quil, two of Jacob's wolf friends, came walking out of the forest. They stopped about thirty feet away, giving them enough time to change if they needed to.

"We come with a message from Sam," Embry started, looking me dead in the eye. Quil was sniffing the air, realizing that it smelled like blood and sex. He was going to say something but the scent of blood wasn't strong enough to really matter. It was Bella we were talking about after all and she bled for some reason or the other on a daily basis. He was also very glad that Jacob wasn't here because he'd freak out. He would have torn me apart instantly even if you could still hear Bella's heart beating in the background.

"And that is?"

"He is willing to meet with you, and your family, on neutral ground. The time and setting are his choice though." He informed me, remembering the conversation that he had with his leader and remembering how Jacob paced back and forth angrily, yelling, when Sam agreed.

"That works for me," I agreed. I could see in his mind that he had already figured out a time and date. "Tonight then, midnight. I see the place in your mind. I know where it is. We'll be there. Tell him that I thank him for this. It is truly in the best interest for the both of our groups."

Embry bit his tongue, holding back his foul comments but they rang out loud and clear in his head. That was okay, I didn't care. Let him think what he wants. "Later, Cullen."

Within seconds they were back in the trees and back into dog form, telling their leader what I had said. The last thoughts that I could hear was that Embry was glad that Jacob wasn't in on this conversation yet. He was going to be pissed. Jacob needed to learn to control himself when it came to his emotions and Bella. He thought with the wrong head.

When I was sure they were gone, I picked up the bags and placed them in the foyer for the women to claim later. I walked into the dining room to find my family, sans Emmett and Rose, surrounding my beautiful girl while she ate some sort of Chinese noodle dish. Alice was laughing and talking, using her hands to describe something horribly ugly she found in Paris while she was away. Jasper and Alice had decided to go on an extended honeymoon while things blew over.

"Ugh, it was awful though! You should have seen the color. It was like dry heaves neon green. Electric snot."

Bella laughed with the food in her mouth, her hand covering it so it wouldn't come flying out. She leaned back, placing her head on Esme's shoulder. "Oh, I've missed you guys," she said finally after she finished her bite of food.

"We've missed you too," Esme whispered, lightly pecking her forehead. "Well, my dear, I hate to do this but there is a lot we need to do. I've got cleaning to catch up on and I need to get the kids back enrolled in school. Carlisle stood up as well, following his wife.

"I need to go to the hospital and talked to them, see if I can get my job back."

"Like that'll be a problem," I teased him, taking Esme's old space. That left only Jasper and Alice, both who were very quiet as I settled down beside my beloved.

Alice suddenly pulled something small and red from her pocket, tossing it to me. I caught it in one hand, bringing it up to my eyes to see what it was. I smirked at the plastic, "a new phone? That was quick."

"I got it before I called. I had a vision you destroyed the phone but I wasn't sure when you'd do it," she shrugged. "So, I guess there is a lot to discuss, isn't there?" Jasper got up, not wanting to be a part of this conversation. He kissed the top of his wife head and said something about hunting. She waved him off with a loving smile before turning her attention back to us.

"Like what?" Bella said as she looked at me, a slight frown on her lips. I wiped away a little bit of the sauce that lingered, kissing her cheek.

"Nothing bad, just some future plans," Alice reassured her. "So, you're going to be one of us now?"

"Yes, I am," Bella said firmly, her smile returning. She liked this conversation a little bit too much for my taste but I knew I wasn't going to get my way on this. I would just have to live with it. "Do you think Carlisle will be able to?" Bella asked.

I gave a deep sigh, running my fingers through my hair before I spoke, "I was hoping to do it, with his help."

"Really?" Bella smiled brightly, surprising me. "I'd love that. I'd prefer it."

Bella came onto my lap, hugging me tightly. I held her to me, relishing her warmth as I kissed her shoulder through the fabric. I peered at Alice and she answered my unspoken question. "You'll be strong enough."

"I certainly hope you're right," I whispered as I nuzzled her hair, unable to look up to meet my sister's eyes. "Can you see the first of the year?"

Alice shook her head, biting her bottom lip. A little habit she had picked up from Bella. "No, but that's a long way off. Things will get clearer as it get closer I'm sure._ Are you two getting married?_

My head snapped at her silent question, my eyes wide. She gave me a little grin and shrugged her shoulders like it was nothing at all. _I don't know_, I mouthed. _Do you see it?_

_No, but I figured if she's changing that you two would be getting married as well. Do you plan on asking her?_ Alice thought as she stood up, taking Bella's plate with her. It was obvious that Bella was not interested in the food. Alice could see my answer to that one without me saying it out loud.

_I don't know. _

I wish I did though. I wanted to be married to Bella, that's for sure. We were as connected as two souls could be, in a manner of speaking. But, I knew how Bella felt about marriage after what her parents went through. But, if we were just going to spend the rest of time together anyway, wasn't it a logical choice? Also, if she was going to make me give in to something so big, she could give a couple things to me. I wasn't asking that much. Waiting until after the first of the year wasn't that long and marriage could play into her change perfectly. If we got married it wouldn't be so bad if we moved away. It might make it easier on Charlie as well.

Bella ran her fingers along my jaw, drawing my attention away from my thoughts. It was a nice distraction though. "Mm, you're far away. Where are you?"

"A wonderful place," I told her truthfully, giving her a small smile. I kissed the tip of her nose before taking in a deep breath. We'd have to talk about something with her change and I wasn't sure she'd like it completely. I knew she didn't love it here, but it was home. "Bella, soon we'll have to start talking about where the family will move, or where we'll move if we decide to go alone. We can't stay here when you change. The treaty won't allow it."

Bella nodded her head thoughtfully, "I know. I don't care where we'll go, as long as we're together it doesn't matter."

"Do you want to go as a family or do you want us to be alone for a while?" I offered.

She bit her lip, looking up at me through her eyelashes. "The family."

I heard Esme and Alice give a mental cheer, along with Emmett. Rosalie wasn't as angry as I thought she'd be. She was at least understanding of the fact that I needed to change Bella. Carlisle was already gone but Esme would fill him in soon enough. "I think they'd like that," I answered for them.

"Good," she smiled, "I don't want to be away from them or you again," Bella gave me another hug, this time kissing my ear.

"What are we going to tell Charlie?" I asked her. I had a few ideas but I wasn't going to blurt them out just yet. I didn't want the way I proposed to her be in the middle of the dining room with my family all around. I'd much rather prefer somewhere private so maybe afterwards, if she said yes, we could have a repeat performance of earlier.

_Good luck with that,_ Alice thought with a smirk as she got a burst of Bella and I alone together in a darkened room, soft moans filling my ears._ Sorry, I'm not trying to get the visions,_ she added quickly. I rolled my eyes, unable to stop myself.

"Oh, um..." Bella said, blushing slightly for some reason. "I'm not sure. We'll have to think about that more later, huh?"

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." I nodded my head and kissed the tip of her nose. I brought my lips in close to her ear and whispered softly. "I think another good idea would be to get you in a shower. We rather smell rather like-" I cut myself off, clearing my throat as I raised an eyebrow. Bella's heart rate automatically picked up as the flush from earlier darkened. She nodded her head before standing up, offering me her hand.

"Come on, lets go get cleaned up."

**So the family is back! More fun will ensue. Oh, and just to let everyone know, this is strictly in Ed's POV. I prefer it. It's easier to write. **

**Thanks for all the fantastic reviews, by the way! Keep them coming. They inspire me to write faster. **

**I'm over at twitter if you want to keep up with what I'm doing with my life and my stories. Sometimes you'll get previews and little facts. Fun stuff. Jayeliwood, like everything else. **

**The meeting with the wolves is coming pretty soon. How do you think it'll go?**


	7. Clothes

**Thanks for the fantastic reviews! I'm really enjoying this story! **

**Clothes**

Bella practically dragged me up the stairs to my bathroom, a surprising first for me. The idea of showering shouldn't have been so exciting but it was, especially if it was together. I think she might have been more excited about it than I was.

Bella pressed me up against the bathroom door, her hands on either side of my neck as she raised up on tip toes. Pressing her entire body against me, she kissed me furiously. I hummed in pleasure, my arms going around her waist. My hips automatically began to grind against her, wanting that friction once again. Control was gone now. Bella groaned, her hardened nipples pressing against my chest.

"The family is in the house," I whispered in her ear.

"Honestly, at this moment, I could care less..." she teased against my jaw, nipping at it.

"Well, they're going to tease me the most so I do care," I smiled at her, pushing her back gently. "Besides, we need to get cleaned up. I'm sure you'd like to acquire a turtleneck or two."

She sighed heavily, tilting her head back dramatically so that her long beautiful hair was falling down her back. "I guess. I'd much rather find a private place and-"

I cut her off with a kiss before she could finish and be far too tempting. "We will soon. We'll get you some clothing and you should probably let Charlie know I'm back. Maybe we can bring him some dinner or something." I offered. We should get him something healthy to eat. Surviving off as much coffee as he was isn't a good thing for anyone.

"Charlie's not going to accept you back so easily," Bella said quietly, sobering up a little bit. "He hates your guts."

"As any good father should. I'd hate me too if you were my daughter. I'll take whatever he gives me. I deserve it," I lightly kissed her lips, pressing my forehead against hers. "I will prove myself worthy to him. I will prove that I am worthy of your love and trust again."

"You already have mine," Bella said with such love in her voice that my chest tightened. I loved her so much and she had no idea. She was such an amazing young woman. I kissed her again on the lips before opening the bathroom door. Bella sighed as I ushered her inside, hating the fact that she knew that she had to at least try to behave a little bit. It would be hard for me as well but I wasn't going to pass up the chance to be with her this way. I didn't want to be away from her in any way. I would have to be tonight though. One of us would have to stay behind to protect her though while I spoke to the wolves. It was my job and my job alone. Perhaps Alice could do it.

Bella rubbed her thumb over my eyebrow. "Something has you worried."

Before, I never would have told her but now, things were different. I would tell her everything. I wasn't going to be foolish enough to make the same mistake twice. Lies and secrets got you no where.

"I'm meeting with the wolves tonight to discuss how to take out Victoria. I think if we work together we could get rid of her quicker."

"That make sense," Bella nodded her head. "I think Sam would go for that."

"I'm not sure all of them will so I'm offering them a trade for their temporary cooperations," I explained as I worked the buttons on the shirt that hung off of Bella. She blushed, biting her lip that was curved up in a slight smile.

"What's that?" Bella asked a bit breathless as the shirt dropped to the floor in a puddle, leaving me with a pleasant view. She stepped forward, deciding to take over some of the clothes removal. She popped the button on my jeans, lowering them to the ground slowly. For a moment, I was a bit speechless. I cleared my throat and took a deep breath before speaking again.

"That my family will leave Washington State and will never return to this area again."

Bella gasped, backing up quickly. "You're leaving again?"

I knew exactly what that question meant. She was asking if I was leaving her again as well. That certainly wasn't the case. I put her face in my hands, kissing her deeply. "My entire family, yes. You and I, Alice and the rest of them. We've already been here long enough. Besides, remember what I said with the change?"

"Oh, yeah," Bella whispered like she was embarrassed. I wasn't sure why she was. I closed the distance between us and took her jeans off slowly, kneeling in front of her as I did so. I kissed her belly button, loving the half squeak half moan that exited her lips. It was adorable. "Edward..." She giggled, running her fingers through my hair. "What are you doing? We have to behave."

"I am. I'm just helping you with your clothes," I grinned up at her, proud of the shade I had made her turn and the fact that I had changed the subject. While still on my knees, I slid my hands up her back and popped the hooks on her bra carefully. "See? Very helpful."

"You are a dirty _dirty_ liar," she teased quietly, tilting her head back as I lovingly covered her skin in soft kisses. "But I like this side of you, keep going."

I laughed, nuzzling her stomach before I stood in front of her. She sighed, a soft pout forming on her lips as she shimmed out of her panties. It was obvious that she didn't want me to stop but we needed to before I tackled her and made her mind on the tile flooring. The idea was far too appealing.

I turned on the shower on high, steam quickly filling the room. As I did so, Bella went to the mirror to check out her marks. Tilting her neck to the side, she carefully ran her fingers over the hickeys I had created. She smiled a little, holding her hand against them. "I'm sorry if I was a little rough," I muttered as I came to stand behind her, my arms draping over her shoulders as my chin rested against the top of her head.

"I loved it. I can't wait until we can-" she cut herself off and smiled up at me, "well, you know... when we can when we're both equals. When you don't have to worry about hurting me. I think you'll enjoy it more then."

I sighed, running my hand over my face with embarrassment and shame. "Yes, you're right. I will."

"Don't feel guilty for that," Bella whispered as she touched my hand. "I want you to be excited about this and us."

"I am excited about us," I corrected her thinking.

"I want you to be excited about us for the rest of time though. By going along with this we both get what we really want, each other for eternity. That's not a bad thing, Edward. That is what you want, isn't it?" Bella looked up at me with those large doe eyes, radiating vulnerability and innocence. I sighed, instantly feeling guilty for making her question my love for her.

"Bella, you know that's what I want. Doesn't mean I have to like the means of in which we get there. If there was another way-"

"But, there isn't, Edward. This is what I want," Bella turned in my arms. "Edward, I want you. I love you."

"I love you, too."

I kissed her forehead and a soft shiver ran through her body. Goosebumps were raised all over her arms and shoulders, a slight purplish blue tint coming over her lips. I was making her too cold and I needed to get her into the shower to warm up.

Taking Bella's hand, I led her into the warm water, letting her step into the hot stream first. She hissed softly as she heated up, her head dipping back underneath the spray. Tiny rivers of water spilled down the valleys of her breasts and circled her belly button before dripping down between her legs and down her thighs. The imagine was far more erotic than I could have imagined. I moaned softly as I looked at her, wanting to get on my knee and lick the water from her body.

Bella's heartbeat sped up as she saw my expression, a heavy blush coming over her cheeks. I looked away, embarrassed at once again being caught at ogling. She couldn't expect me not to though. Bella could return the favor if she wanted to. I didn't care. I wanted to have this image burned into my brain for the rest of my days.

"Here, why don't you get under the water," Bella whispered with a crackling voice as she turned and slid past me. Every bit of her body pressed against mine as we switched and I found that erotic as well.

Erotic was apparently the word of the day for me. Everything about Bella was eroticism and beauty and I wanted to drown in her essence.

Bella washed her hair with the shampoo she kept at my house before we had separated, another reason I didn't want to be in the shower. I could smell her in it. Scrubbing herself down with her soapy hands, I was memorized.

"Edward," she whimpered when she caught my gaze once again. "Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop looking!" She said almost childishly. I chuckled, looking up into her deep brown orbs. "You're making me feel embarrassed."

"We just made love on my couch and you're embarrassed by me looking at your glorious body?" I said, taking a step froward so I could run my hands over her stomach. "I've claimed you and I want to look at what is mine. Is that so bad?"

"Yes," she said, but it came out more as a question. I gave her a crooked grin as I looped my arms around her waist, kissing her lips softly. "I'm not that beautiful, especially next to you or your family."

"Nonsense," I muttered, switching places with her once again. Using my hands to usher some of the soap out of her hair, I effectively ended the conversation. It was asinine anyway. There was no more beautiful human or vampire in the world, in my eyes.

I washed my own hair again, enjoying the shower a little too much. I had missed his luxury of the human life the most I think, besides clean clothing. And being able to share it with Bella made it my new favorite past time.

After a few minutes of rather innocent touching and kissing, we finally climbed out of the shower. Bella picked up her clothing, following me back to my room quickly. Dropping my towel after I finished drying off, I began to look for a turtleneck of mine to wear while we picked up her own.

"I figured this will work while we go up to Port Angles. I mean, it's huge but it should at least be comfortable while we pick you out a couple things. Then we can go to dinner at that little Italian place that we went to on our first date-" I began as I turned around but stopped short when I saw Bella standing there, blushing a shade of tomato and staring at my lower body. I smirked, unable to help myself. "And you told me to stop?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just-" She began but stopped again, shaking her head. "Sorry, I'll stop."

"Look," I said as I came closer to her and wrapped her body in a hug. "Look, kiss, touch, hug, hold, stroke, lick, do whatever you wish. I do not mind, Bella. I am yours."

Her heart rate tripled, on the verge of a heart attack. She sucked in a little gasp, leaning her forehead against my chest while I soothingly ran my hands down her back. "I love that," she whispered against my chest.

"Me too," I smiled back as I pulled away, placing the forest green turtleneck in her hands. "Come on, get dressed before Alice decides to do it for you."

_I heard that,_ Alice muttered from some part of the house.

"I know you did," I whispered back with a smirk. I was glad that some things were starting to go back to normal. Alice had almost instantly forgiven me. She felt I had made up for some of my mistake and she knew that we were on the right track now. Or, at least what she felt was the right track. "Come on, love."

We dressed, Bella throwing her messy curly hair into a loose pony tail at the top of her head. You couldn't see any of the marks thankfully that I left when she wore my shirt. I didn't want to embarrass her while we were out shopping. I was surprised that she was okay with shopping, but she didn't want her father to freak out. I mean, I know I would if she was my little girl with those things on her neck and the slime ball jerk that had broken her heart had returned. I was certain that's how he saw me. I would work very hard to prove otherwise.

I stood at the window while Bella finished, deep in my thoughts. My world had changed dramatically in less than forty eight hours. Hell, it had only been twenty three hours and forty eight minutes, actually. If she hadn't of jumped I don't know what we would have done. I'm not sure we would have ever gotten to this point, but I was glad that we did.

"Ready," Bella called softly as she came to stand beside me at the window. "Where's your head?"

"Somewhere in the clouds," I whispered, putting an arm around her. I led her quietly downstairs, stopping at the foyer. "Wait here, I need to go get the car from the forest. I hid it pretty well."

At that moment Carlisle walked in, proud at himself for getting his job back so quickly. He knew he would, but he didn't think that they'd be that happy to see him. It was nice to be appreciated for something you love doing. "No need," he tossed me his keys. "Take the Mercedes. It needs gasoline anyway. I'll get the Volvo out for you later and have Rosalie look at it. I'm sure it's due for an oil change anyway. You know how picky she is about those things."

"Thanks," I smiled at my father.

"Anytime," he gave me a little wink that Bella didn't notice._ We're going out to search our part of the woods for Victoria before the meeting tonight. Will you be back before midnight?_

I shook my head.

_Why not?_

I pursed my lips and realized that Bella was looking between us. "What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, my love," I said with a smile.

"Nope, you're not going to start that with me again. I want to know. Tell me. I know this has to do with me." Bella turned and glared at me. "Tell me," she demanded.

I sighed heavily, knowing she was right. "Carlisle wants the entire family to join me in the meeting tonight and I don't think it's a good idea."

"I'm going," Bella said with some certainty.

"Like hell you are," I almost growled out. "Werewolves are wild and unstable. I won't have you hurt."

"Edward, Jacob won't want anything bad to happen to me so he'll try to keep the peace as much as possible. Think about it. Things are less likely to get nasty if I'm there. Also, I couldn't be more protected if you tried. Both you guys and the pack will protect me. Victoria won't be able to get within ten miles of me without you guys tearing them up. I know you're worried about that. Besides, this is about me in the end."

"She has a point, Edward," Carlisle chimed in. "And the wolves have more civility than you like to think. They aren't total monsters. I think we should go as a family. The entire family. That includes Bella."

I looked at the two most important people in my life, both steely with their resolve. I wasn't going to win this. I could tell already. "Fine, but the second I think there will be any trouble I'm taking you away. Do you understand me?" I said, looking at Bella. "And if I think one of them is going to hurt you I will kill them. Is that clear?"

"Yes, but they won't hurt me. Not on purpose," she said with confidence.

"I don't care if it's on purpose or not. If they even hurt a hair on your head I will rip their own from their bodies."

"Don't be so dramatic," Bella smirked at me. "They won't hurt me," she repeated.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and took in a deep breath through my mouth. "Fine, if you think so. But my word stands."

"Fine," she huffed out before taking the keys from my hands. "Come on, lets go."

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked as I walked behind her, Carlisle chuckling all the while as he went deeper into the house.

"I'm going to drive."

"I think not," I took the keys back before she could even realize what I was doing. "I'd like to arrive in Port Angles today, thank you."

"Are you saying I drive slow?" Bella asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," I muttered as I opened the car door for her. She gave me a little grin and I realized what she was doing. She was taking my mind off of what we just talked about. I smirked as she slid past me into the seat.

"Well, if you insist," Bella said sweetly as she buckled her seat belt. "Just don't wrap us around any poles, I'm not indestructible yet."

"Exactly, not yet." I took her hand and kissed it lightly, savoring her salty flavor. "Not yet."

The ride was comfortable and silent, holding hands the entire time. I'm surprised Bella's poor hand wasn't freezing but I had the heater on pretty high for her. I didn't want her to get uncomfortable. Not more than thirty minutes later we arrived in the somewhat larger town and I parked in front of the one small women's boutiques.

"Edward, this place is-"

I cut her off before she could finish. I knew she was going to argue about prices. I didn't give a damn about money. "Is a perfect place for you to find a few shirts and maybe some things to go along with it."

"I don't need anything else," she huffed as I climbed out of the car. I walked to her side, smiling as I opened her door. I took her hand and helped Bella to her feet.

I yanked her closer to me, almost roughly, and brought my lips to her ear. I knew this was a horrible and sneaky tactic but it wasn't really using it for anything too bad. She'd forgive me for it. "Please? Let me get you a few nice things that I'd love to see you in and out of."

"Edward," Bella breathed, melting into my chest. "Okay."

I smiled at my victory, tugging her along beside me into the store. It seemed almost instantly the sales girl was standing in front of us, too busy checking me out to really notice Bella. I rolled my eyes and sighed, ignoring her as much as I could.

"Is there anything I could help you with today, sir?" She began, her eyes focused on my chest. She was imaging how I looked without a shirt on.

"Yes, I'd like you to help my girlfriend find a few things." I couldn't help myself. "You see, I think I might have been an overzealous and lets just say, well, she needs some things with a high collar."

Bella eyes went huge as she looked over at me, completely stunned that I was that forward. The sales girl, who didn't seemed phased, pouted a bit and then resolved herself to work. "Of course, we have some fantastic winter fashions that would be perfect for that."

"That would be great. Get her everything she needs." I instructed. The girl grinned and went off to gather an armload of items, spouting out questions about sizes the entire time. Bella looked back at me and whimpered the word 'help' before getting dragged off into the dressing room.

After about ten minutes of picking things out, the girl forced Bella out of the changing room to show me an outfit. Bella didn't want to but in whispers insisted that I would just fawn over her if I saw it. She didn't need some stupid dress to fawn over her, but I was curious I had to admit.

Bella came tip toeing barefooted out of the back in a shirt long sleeve high necked velvet dress which hugged her body tightly. Her long curly hair which had dried naturally went down her back in waves shined in the light of the store. Biting her bottom lip, she blushed. "What do you think?"

"I'm wondering if I can get you one in each color," I grinned as I walked closer to her, offering her my hand. She placed her tiny one in my palm and I pulled her close while she was still on her toes. Leaning down, I captured her lips in a deep kiss. She giggled, one of her legs bending up at the knee.

"I can't exactly wear dresses," she complained as she pulled away.

"You can wear it around the house all you want. I will find occasions." I winked at her playfully as my hands slid down her back. That's when I heard the nasally voice that I came to hate in my years hear. I sighed, knowing this wasn't exactly going to be pleasant. "Incoming," I warned.

"What?"

A few seconds later Jessica and Lauren came walking into the store with an armload of bags. They had spent most of the day already shopping and had amassed quiet a few items. "Bella, is that you?" Jessica instantly called, completely and totally shocked to see her. They hadn't exactly gotten along well since the whole McDonald's movie incident. Then she realized who else was standing with, her heart rate increasing instantly. "Edward? When did you get back?"

"I've been back about a day or so," I said, my arms still wrapped around Bella. I wasn't going to give them any more information than I needed.

The sales girl came out at that moment, looking around the corner at us. "What do we think? We like?"

"We love. We'll take it and everything else she picked out, please." I pulled out my wallet and handed her my black card.

"Edward," Bella muttered underneath her breath, blushing a furious shade.

"It's beautiful on you, love," I leaned down and pecked her lips. "Wear it for me, please?"

"Okay," she whispered, her eyes glancing over my shoulder at the girls standing behind us. "I'm going to get changed. I'll be back in a second."

"So, Edward," Lauren began when Bella was safely back into the dressing rooms. "Just visiting? Or are you staying a while?"

"I'm back as long as Bella wants me," I told her truthfully. The woman waved me over to the counter top to sign the receipt, which I did so quickly. I didn't even look at the cost. Most of the stuff she had gotten was already in bags, except for the dress. "I hope that means forever," I finished as I turned to face them. Bella came back out, dressed in my huge shirt that hung down to her knees. She was so adorable in it.

"I'll see you in school," Bella mumbled as we walked out after getting everything we needed. There wasn't a lot to say between them. As soon as Bella sat down in the seat she brought her hands to her face. "Well, everyone is going to know you're back in about ten minutes."

"Good," I said as I leaned over to buckle her seatbelt. As I did so, I kissed her neck. "That's exactly what I want. I want them to know I'm back and I'm with you."

**Okay, so it's going to take a couple chapters to get to the meeting. We're going to have dinner and meet up with Charlie and we've got some stuff to do with the family before we can get to that. It's kind of a slow build up but I think it'll be worth it in the end. Also, if you're wondering, this clothing does serve a purpose and you'll find out next chapter. **

**On twitter, if you want to find out what's going on with me! Jayeliwood! I may have a preview in the next couple days if I'm able. **

**So, do we like this more open sexually Edward? I think that's how he would have gone in BD if she wasn't bruised and he was freaking out. **


	8. Death and Charlie

**Thanks for the amazing reviews! Keep them up!**

**Death and Charlie**

Our dinner together was quiet mostly. We held hands and spoke in soft whispers as we cuddled close together in the booth. I had a hand on the small of her back the entire time, smoothing her hair away from her face as she ate slowly. Bella leaned her head against my shoulder at times, her hand on my lap as she massaged my thigh tenderly. It was a completely nonsexual and loving gesture. It felt so good to be this close to her again. I don't know how I survived without it.

"What do you think Charlie would like?" I asked as she finished her Alfredo, slurping down the last bite between her plump lips. I had made sure that she ate a salad as well, along with some bread sticks. She was far too thin and it wasn't healthy. She was a skinny thing to begin with. I wondered if I could get her to eat some breakfast but I kind of doubted it.

"I don't know if this is a good idea," Bella said quietly after she declined any dessert from the waitress, the waitress frowning the entire time as she gazed at my beautiful girlfriend. She was just jealous. Bella asked for a coke to go, biting her bottom lip. "We'd be going to the police station."

"Exactly, he can't shoot me there. Too many witnesses," I teased playful. It's not like he could hurt me anyway. I wasn't too worried about it. Well, not worried about that anyway. I was certainly worried about other things when it came to Charlie. He could make this very hard for us, if he wanted to. Not impossible though.

Nothing was impossible now that I had my beloved back in my life.

"Or he could and have more hands to help try to bury you," she replied back quickly, not looking me in the eyes as she spoke. I laughed, my chest rumbling with the noise.

"That wouldn't happen and you know it. Don't be so afraid of Charlie."

"What will we tell him?" She asked in a nervous voice.

"Tell him the truth. That I couldn't be away from you a moment longer so I came back and begged for you to take me back. When my parents realized how much happier I was here they decided to move back as well." It wasn't really a lie but it wasn't really the truth either.

"He doesn't think I should even care about you. He thinks I'd be better off with Jacob," she said in a soft whisper. "I thought you should know."

I growled softly before I could stop myself. How could he think someone so dangerous could be good for her. But he didn't know and he was his best friend's son. It would be perfect for him, in his eyes. If he could just open his eyes for a moment he'd see the real danger wasn't really me. I knew this all before but it didn't change how frustrated it made me feel. "That's fine. I'll just prove who the better man is."

"Edward," she sighed. "Jacob is still my friend. Please be nice."

"But-" I began but stopped myself before I could continue, bitting my top lip hard. "Fine, I'm sorry. But, I still think we should get Charlie something to eat. And I don't want him to find out from someone else that I'm back. That'll make him pretty mad. We wanted to be honest and straight forward with him."

"I suppose so," she nodded her head in agreement. "I'm just not looking forward to it."

I lightly kissed her lips," don't worry I'll be with you the entire time. Now, why don't you order something for him? You know what he likes better than I do," I waved my hand towards the waitress as she brought over the ticket and Bella's soft drink.

"Can we have a spaghetti and meatballs to go, please?" She asked, the waitress who was annoyed sighed heavily but nodded her head, writing it down quickly without a word.

"Add a salad and some bread sticks along with that," I added quickly before she walked away. The older woman gave me a soft smile, batting her eyelashes before she wrote it down as well. I rolled my eyes, bringing Bella in closer to me so I could kiss her neck lightly. "I'd say we should get him some dessert, but I don't think he needs it. We need to get him an appointment with Carlisle soon."

Bella laughed, "he's got a high stress job. What do you expect? But, I think you may be right about this. We'll talk to Carlisle about it later."

The ride to the police station after that was pretty silent. There was a few comments here and there but I'm not sure either of us knew what to say. Also, I knew that Bella was nervous about Charlie. I knew in the end that everything would work out okay.

"I should change," Bella said suddenly. "I mean, I think Charlie might notice something if I'm not wearing my own clothing."

"Hm, probably right about that," I said as I pulled into a gas station. Reaching into the back seat, I pulled out the bag of clothing for her. "What do you want to wear?" I thought about suggesting my new favorite dress but I knew she'd never go for that.

"I don't care," she shrugged, "as long as it covers up the massive purple hickeys on the side of my neck," Bella smirked over at me, but there was nothing but playfulness and happiness in her eyes.

"Ah, I'm sorry," I teased. "I'll have to put them somewhere less noticeable next time," with that I ran a hand over her thigh gently. She squeaked softly, a noise so faint I wouldn't have heard it otherwise. "Any place you'd like them?"

"I'll be right back," Bella said quickly, snatching a shirt from the bag and dashing towards the store before I could do any more to tease her. It was a nice role reverse. I liked this changed. I'm sure when we were alone though she wouldn't be so shy anymore. Payback could be fun.

It didn't take five minutes for Bella to return with the green shirt over her arm. She was now wearing a soft lavender cashmere sweater that went all the way to her chin but it didn't look uncomfortable. It hugged her body tightly, slipping all the way down past the pockets of her jeans.

"Do I look okay?" Bella asked when she sat down, opening her arms to me like it would give me a better view.

"You are more normal than you think you are," I teased as I put the car into reverse and headed towards the station once again. I gave her a small grin, "you look better than okay. You look beautiful."

She blushed, biting her bottom lip lightly. "What do you mean, I'm normal?"

"I mean like every single woman I have ever met has asked that question to their spouses. It's cute though but let me tell you something..." I trailed off as we turned into the parking lot of the police headquarters.

"What's that?"

"The answer will always be that you look beautiful," I smiled and leaned over to give her a light kiss after turning off the car. She grinned, her sweater covered hands brushing against my cheeks as she held me in place. We kissed for a few minutes, only gentle and soft ones, until a car pulled in next to us. The police officer that pulled in couldn't see inside the car but she knew who it belonged to and she was shocked. "Come on, love. Before the food gets too cold."

"Okay," Bella said in a barely there voice. I came around after taking the sack full of tomato covered meat and carbohydrates from the backseat. Opening the door, I offered Bella my hand. Slowly she took and stood, walking behind me at a snail's pace.

"Don't be so nervous," I whispered as I walked in beside her. The station was pretty much empty it would seem. Not that many people worked there anyway. There was only a secretary up in the front and a couple officers milling around with the exception of Charlie who was in his office, working on piles of paperwork.

"Is Chief Swan in?" I asked the young woman at the desk even though I knew the answer. She was stunned for a few seconds before shaking her head like to clear the dust away. "Is he in his office?" I asked when she didn't respond, still shocked speechless.

"Oh, yeah," she said, finally speaking again. "He is. Can I help you with something?"

"No, we just brought him some lunch," Bella said, tugging me towards the area he worked. "I know where his office is. Thanks."

"Okay," the woman said, turning to look at us as we walked away.

"I wish they wouldn't stare so much," Bella muttered to herself. "She's old enough to be your mother."

"No, I'm old enough to be her great great grandfather. Yours too," I reminded her teasingly, my hand sliding from the small of her back to the pocket of her jeans. I could tell Bella was trying her best not to jump when I did so.

"Well, grandpa, you better behave. We're surrounded by men with guns and shovels."

"You say that like it means anything," I said just before I opened the door. Charlie's mind went completely blank from shock at seeing Bella down at the station. Then it turned to anger at seeing me. I wasn't exactly his favorite person, nor should I be. I couldn't exactly blame him for his feelings. "Good afternoon, Chief Swan."

"What are you doing here?" The question sounded rather open but I could see exactly what he was asking. He was asking what I was doing back in town and I think Bella knew that but she decided to go for the more innocent route. It was easier to start there anywhere. I don't think she was ready for a fight just yet.

"We brought you some lunch. I know it's been hard to get a decent dinner around here," Bella smiled, offering him the bag. He peered inside and smiled slightly at her after he took it from her. "It's your favorite. Spaghetti and meatballs."

"Wow, thanks. I needed a little something," he said with a heavy sigh. He was practically dripping with sadness, thoughts about health and doctors were skipping around his brain constantly mixed with the images of dead bodies he had seen over the past few weeks. It all summed up a single thought, 'life is too short.'

"Dad, are you okay? What's wrong?"

He waved at the seats in front of his desks and we both took one, careful not to touch or anything. We didn't want to set him off yet. "Harry Clearwater passed away this morning."

"What?" Bella asked in total shock. "What happened?"

"Heart attack," he whispered as he looked down at the food. He stared at it thoughtfully for a moment before pulling out the salad. He considered asking Bella to go get some salt but he changed his mind quickly. Well, at least that was a step in the right direction.

"When is the funeral?" Bella inquired quietly, biting her bottom lip. I could tell she was sad as well, but in a different way. I think it was more for her father than for the man. Harry was one of his best friends.

"In a couple of days."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

The fork that Charlie had pulled out from the bag stopped mid bite, surprised that she would ask that for some reason. He wasn't sure if she would take her up on this offer though it was very tempting. He didn't think funerals were places for the young. They were all so depressing but he always knew that some of Bella's friends would be there. They might have needed support an older person couldn't provide. "If you wouldn't mind?"

"Sure, dad," Bella said sweetly.

I felt even more like an outsider than normal. This was very much a family conversation and I was in the middle of it in a way I shouldn't have been. I felt guilty for that. I looked away, taking a deep breath. I couldn't catch a whiff of Victoria but I caught tons of werewolf. They were all over this place, probably keeping an eye on Charlie. They were as worried about him as they were about Bella.

"When did you get back into town?" Charlie asked suddenly as he decided to take his attention off of the sad matters at hand. I was a good place to put his frustration. He didn't mind pissing me off anyway. I was the idiot teenager that hurt his daughter. I was below dirt.

I had to fight hard not to cringe back from the mental images of Bella in his head. They were so much worse through his eyes. His own pain colored them even more darkly.

"Yesterday," I lied. I never left in the first place but I was still awful for doing what I did. There was no argument there.

"Visiting?" He said hopefully. He didn't want to start over again with his daughter. She had made so much progress since Jacob came into her life. Well, she had made progress in his eyes.

"No, actually..." I began, trailing off to look at Bella. She reached over and took my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I couldn't stand to be away from Bella any longer. I was just so much happier with her and I couldn't take it anymore. My family saw how much happier I was and decided that we should move back at least until college."

I could see the anger flair up in his eyes as I spoke, darting back and forth between Bella and myself. "Hey, kiddo. Why don't you go get me something to drink out of the soda machine." He quickly fished a few ones out of his pocket and practically threw them at her. "I'll take a coke."

"Sure thing," Bella said as she looked nervously over at me. She knew exactly what was about to happen. So did I. Normally I would have thought it was amusing but I could see the pain in his mind. He wasn't just mad, he was hurting.

As soon as the door shut Charlie stood up, palms flat on his desk as he leaned in closer. "Now you listen to me you little twerp. I will not have you jerking my daughter around. I thought she was going to curl up and die when you left her. She can't go through that again."

"I know that," I whispered. "She wasn't the only one in pain."

"I bet," he said sarcastically. "You are not man enough to be with her. She deserves someone who cares, someone who wouldn't leave her, someone who-"

I cut him off. "I know. She does. I was trying to protect us both by leaving but I now see the error of my ways. It did neither one of us any good. I was-" I stopped, swallowing some of my emotions. "I was just trying to make her life better. I thought she would be better without me."

"She is."

"That may be true, maybe not. But, it wasn't my decision to make. I begged for her to take me back and she did. It was her choice. I'm not leaving now until she says she doesn't want me anymore. I love her."

"How dare you talk about love when-" He stopped abruptly when he saw Bella coming back. He sat down, picking up his fork again. "This isn't finished," he assured me just as Bella walked out the door. She gave him a soda and his change back but didn't sit back down.

"We're going to let you enjoy your lunch, dad. Are you going to be home tonight for dinner?" She asked, offering me her hand. I took it and stood, coming to stand behind her.

"I doubt it," he muttered. "There was another attack in the next county over and they asked for help. I was going to meet up with the Chief in a couple of hours to compare evidence."

"Dad," she began, looking back at me nervously before starting again. "Dad, since you probably won't be home would you mind if I stay with Alice? I've really missed her and I'd like to catch up with her."

"Oh," he said quietly. "Yeah, I guess so. You don't have school tomorrow, huh? Spring Break?"

"Yeah," she nodded her head again, a small curtain of hair blocking her face. I couldn't stop myself. I pulled it off of her face and behind her ear. "Please?"

He looked between us and sighed. He could already tell there was nothing he could do to prevent this. "Sure sure. Give me a call tomorrow up here at the station and I'll give you some more details about the funeral, if you still want to go."

"Of course, dad," she gave him a smile before tugging my hand to signal it was time ago. "I'll talk to you later."

We walked silently to the car, hand in hand. Bella had a lot on her mind, I could tell. I opened the door for her but didn't allow her to climb in. Placing my hands at her waist, I gazed into her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I just feel sorry for my dad. And for Harry. Well, more Sue and Seth than Harry. It's got to be so hard to lose someone you love in such a permanent way. I-" she shook her head. "They must be in so much pain."

I nodded my head, leaning my forehead against hers before kissing the tip of her nose. "Charlie is a strong man. He'll be okay if you don't want to go to the funeral."

"I know. I just don't want him to face that alone. I don't mind, really. I mean, is it okay with you if I go?" Her large dark doe eyes peered up at me, water brimming at the edges. I hated to see her that way. Leaning down, I carefully kissed her eyelids.

"Of course it is. You don't have to ask me things like that. Your father needs you and I know you'll be safe at the funeral," I assured her. "I'll be here for you as well."

"I wish you could go with me." She looked back into the backseat before turning back to look at me, "well, at least I already have something to wear." Bella leaned forward a bit and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist and burying her head in my chest. "I wish you could go," she repeated.

"Maybe after tonight, I can."

**On twitter- Jayeliwood! Also, have a poll going on! Go take a gander and lemony goodness might be in your future!**

**So, do you think Edward will be able to go to the funeral? **


	9. Battle Plans

**Battle Plans**

After our visit with Charlie we went back to the house where my entire family milled about. They were unsuccessful, not that I was surprised about that. I had been trying to get her for months. Victoria was good at what she did. I wouldn't be surprised if that was her talent.

Bella made a call to the bathroom as I nodded Carlisle over. I wanted to know exactly what went on. "Anything?" I asked quietly.

"She's dancing along the edges of the line. She knows we're back now for sure," he answered with a sigh. "What exactly are you going to do tonight? Do you have a plan?"

"I'm going to ask that they make amends to the treaty until we catch and kill Victoria. Neither one of us wants her here and we need have her taken care of." I said softly. I knew how he felt about the treaty. I knew he wanted to respect them as much as possible to prove that we weren't the bad guys. We were trying to change. We were trying to be different from others of our kind.

"What exactly are you going to ask of them?" I pursed my lips and sighed heavily as he asked the question quietly. Everyone's ears perked at the question, even if they weren't in the room. Everyone was listening now, everyone but Bella, thankfully.

"That we suspend all lines of territory until she is found. That we work together in shifts and create plans to find her," I explained the easy parts first. Instantly he saw that there was more that I was holding back. He knew me far too well.

_What else, Edward?_

"And, if Bella is mortally wounded and there is no other way to save her that nothing will happen to us if we change her."

There was an all over silence in the house except for the water which ran in the upstairs bathroom where Bella washed her hands and splashed water over her face. I could practically see her movements I knew them so well. I savored the sounds as I let my words settle in. I knew they were profound in a way.

Carlisle licked his lips slowly before he spoke, thinking his words over carefully. "Do you think that is a possibility with all the protection she'll have around her?"

"Have you met Bella?" Rosalie asked as she came from the living room. She glided gracefully to the stairs, walking as if she ruled the world. Any human would have thought she was beautiful, but I thought she was vain and childish. But, she knew that and she enjoyed it, enjoyed tormenting me. "She's a magnet after all, you've said it yourself. She'll bring some kind of harm to herself and the ones around her. That's her job."

I watched as Bella came to the landing at the top of the stairs, looking away as the tears welled up in her deep brown eyes. I could tell by the fast beating of her heart and the flush on her cheeks that she had heard every word that Rosalie said. I hated her for that but that's why I was going to ask the wolves this one thing. Because it was true. She was a danger magnet and she was most likely going to bring some kind of harm onto herself. I knew this was the one thing that they would fight over the most. This wasn't needed. I knew almost for a fact that they would agree to the other things, but this... this was liable to get my head ripped off on the spot.

I hoped that Sam wouldn't allow that and could control his pack well enough to keep Jacob from killing me on the spot. I knew he was sorely tempted. It would give him the prefect excuse.

I raised my hand to Bella, offering it to her, with a small apologetic smile. She waited until Rosalie past her, walking almost painful slow so that her heels echoed throughout the house. Bella took each stair carefully as she rushed towards me, looking me directly in eyes as she did so.

"I'm sorry I'm so dangerous," she whispered brokenly. I could tell she was on the verge of tears, the scent of salt filling my nose. She was about to break.

"You're dangerous?" I said in a teasing tone, forced though it was. I couldn't have Bella crying right now. I just got her back and I had watched her cry far too many times in the past several months because of me and my actions. "Bella, you're clumsy, love. I'm dangerous."

She wrapped her arms around my waist and buried her nose in my chest. Her heart slowed a little as she took in deep breathes, calming herself. I knew she hated to cry in front of people. I ran my fingers through her hair, twisting it once I got to the ends between the pads of my forefinger and thumb. "I love you," she whispered quietly, looking up at me with a small full lipped smile. She knew what I was doing and at least she didn't mind me doing so.

"I love you, too." I took in a deep breath as I looked over at the clock. It was only around eight in the evening. We had at least three hours before we even had to start getting ready to leave, not that it would take much for us to do so. We could be ready at a moment's notice, all of us except for Bella anyway. "So, love, what would you like to do to kill some time?"

She giggled, giving me a wicked look that screamed only one thing. _Sex_. "Well..."

"Besides that," I groaned, rolling my eyes dramatically as if it wasn't something I wanted to do. She instantly saw through it and her grin widened as if she already won. I had to set her straight though. "We can't do that right now."

_Damn, you must have been good. She wants a encore performance,_ Emmett's brain laughed. I smirked and sighed at his words. He was such a teenage boy himself at times. He was far worse then the kids at school, that's for sure.

"Shut up, Em," I whispered in hopes that my beloved wouldn't hear it. Bella caught it though.

"What?" She smiled with a sugary sweetness, running her fingers over my jaw. "Is he being mean to you?" She said in an almost baby voice. She was teasing me now too.

"He's just messing with me," I said as I ushered her towards my room, my hand on her back. I figured we could listen to music or talk for a while, if she wanted to. It was going to be a late night. It was for the best if she at least rested a little bit. I wasn't sure if I could persuade her to do so though. She was far too stubborn.

"About?" She looked up at me with dark lidded eyes, her thick eyelashes delicately fluttering against her soft white cheek. She wasn't even trying to be sexy and she was, almost to an extreme. It was amazing. How could a woman like this exist? My mind went to a very dirty place as I tried to control myself.

I cleared my throat, looking away as I spoke. I couldn't look at her anymore. It was too much. "Doesn't matter."

"Oh, that makes me even more curious! Tell me, Edward. Please?" She pouted out her bottom lip, before biting it gently. It was just enough to make them even more red, the blood flowing to the spot she bit. I found myself wanting to reach down and suck her lip into my mouth. I wanted to taste her lips again.

"He said something about you wanting an encore because of how my last performance was," I muttered, ignoring the laughter in the brains of the men in my family, even Carlisle. All the women, except for Rosalie of course, thought it was cute that I was so nervous and embarrassed by all of this. All them were openly sexual with their partners and have been for years. This was all new to me though. At the moment I felt very much like a teenager. I'm pretty sure if I could blush I would have at speaking these words.

"Oh, did he now?" She looked down the stairs at where the living room connected with the landing before picking up her step a bit, moving a little faster towards my room with my hand in hers. Bella looked over her shoulder at me, a wicked little smile playing at the corners of her delicately plump mouth. "He's right, you know."

"You're going to kill me," I said, all but picking her up as I hurried her up the stairs. She let out a soft giggle, her head tossing back.

_Jesus, get a room before you rape each other,_ Jasper's mind called to me. I wish he could have read my mind at the moment. I was mentally flipping him off but my mind quickly went to another place as Bella shut the door behind us once we entered my room. It was as much hers as it was mine. I didn't want to be in it without her.

She leaned against the door and crooked her cute little finger at me, biting her lip into her mouth again. I growled, kissing her firmly as one of her legs hiked around my hip. I grabbed on so she could keep her balance, my fingers splaying across her tight jean covered thigh. Bella head tipped back as my lips traveled down her jaw, tasting all over her that I could reach though it wasn't much since her sweater was so high. "Oh, god," she moaned softly, barely a breath, as my free hand skimmed across her stomach. Goosebumps raised in my path, little hairs standing up on end at my touch. I hoped it was a good thing. "We better stop," she whispered.

I groaned, nodding my head as I laid it against the side of her neck. I breathed in her flesh deeply, placing little light kisses against her skin. Picking her up carefully so that her legs were wrapped around my waist, I carried her to the leather sofa where we made love earlier. I would keep this couch forever if I could. It held some of the best memories for me.

"Tomorrow, you should come help me look for a bed," I said as I placed her down to her feet. Sitting down, I patted my lap to signal my desire for her to sit on me. I wanted to be as close to her as possible. She smiled slightly and sat down, her legs dangling to one side as Bella's arms went around my neck. "You'll be using it the most anyway. I want you to like it."

"I hope we'll both be using it," she said seductively in my ear. I growled again playfully and she giggled. She was teasing me on purpose. I growled again and flung her gently back onto the couch, coming to rest on top of her. She squealed, laughter ringing from her body. It had been so long since she had laughed like this.

"You're a little vixen, aren't you?" I asked in a husky voice.

Bella snorted and rolled her eyes, "hardly. I just have high hopes. Will you be using it with me?"

It was my turn to roll my eyes, "what do you think?"

"I think that I would love to have that bed right now and some privacy, not that I don't love having your family here..." she added the last part in quickly. She was always trying to be on everyone's good side. I had to love her for that. The rest of my family did as well, except for Rosalie.

"Mm, maybe we can arrange that sometimes this week. I'm surprised you are up for any of that, honestly. Aren't you a bit sore?" She had to be. After yesterday and today, I'm surprised she even wanted to move off of her bed.

Bella shrugged her shoulders, her clothing rustling against the leather as she did so. "A little. Not enough to stop me from wanting more. I've never felt so whole before. It was amazing," she flushed a little bit, looking at me through her thick brown eyelashes. "Was it what you expected?"

"It was more, truthfully. I never thought-" I didn't know how to finish that. Starting again, "I never knew that-" That didn't seem right either. Shaking my head, "there aren't really words for it. It was so much more amazing than I could have ever hoped for. Now I know what all those stupid teenage boys were hounding over."

Bella laughed quietly, running her fingers through my hair. She had known how much I hated those thoughts. I just didn't understand them. Bella scratched behind one of my ears, bringing me back to the present. When she did that it made me feel like a big cat, as if I was going to start purring at any moment. Her nails dragged over my scalp, tickling me. "Did you never want it before?"

I wanted to be truthful with her. I wasn't going to start lying now."Before I met you? A few times. Certainly never enough to act on it. I mean, I had offers- from human and vampire alike but it held no major thrill for me. But now, now that I've been with you... I want to be within you again. It was the most amazing moments of my life, so far. I have a strong feeling it's just going to get better from here. I never thought I would be able to be this way with you and-"

Bella cut off my small joyous rant with her lips, kissing mine lightly. I smiled against them, laying my forehead against hers as I settled carefully between her legs. Scooting down slightly, I resting my head against her chest, my ear to her heart. It thundered in her chest, the blood rushing quickly through her body. I could smell it, and it smelt amazing, but I had no desire for it. I had something so much better now.

I had her.

We laid in silence for a long while until Bella fell asleep, a soft snore falling from her lips. It was adorable. I lifted up carefully and she whimpered at the lose until I laid a blanket across her body. She hugged it to her chest, rolling to the side. I could tell she was tired, she wasn't even dreaming or speaking for once. That was rare. I decided to go downstairs and talked to my family before we left out. It would be easier to talk about this without Bella around anyway. This was probably my only chance.

"Carlisle," I said softly as I came into the living room. He was reading a newspaper with Esme at his side. Jasper and Emmett were playing a game of chess while Alice laid across the chase lounge with a magazine in her hands. Rosalie was still in her room, pouting.

"Yes?" He asked, folding it and placing the paper down.

"We need to discuss what we're going to do if this does not end in our favor," I said, looking over at Alice. She hadn't said how it would go either way. She instantly knew what I was asking of her.

"I haven't seen anything. I can't even see the meeting. It just goes all fuzzy. I don't know why, it's frustrating," she muttered, tossing the magazine onto the table. "I can see us going up there, but nothing after. I don't know what that means."

I sighed, nodding my head. "Either way, we need to figure this out, especially since Bella is coming with us."

"There is no way we could convince her to stay here?" Esme asked with concern in her voice. "I would stay with her, of course."

"Bella's stubborn and she's already made up her mind. She's going if I like it or not. Even more reason we need to discuss this now," I explained. "My main concern is her safety."

"Edward, you're a better fighter than me. I'll take Bella and run to the house if anything goes wrong," Esme said in a quiet voice. "If anything should happen, I'll take her and Charlie and run. We'll be safer out of state."

"Alaska," I said in a quiet voice. "Tanya will help. We'll regroup there. Charlie will be confused and we'll have to explain everything to him. I think once he finds out what's going on with Victoria he'll understand our need to get Bella away. But, even if we move Bella it won't stop Victoria."

"Perhaps we should talk to Tanya after this, anyway. Ask her to help. If Victoria causes any more damage, the Volturi will get involved and no one wants that," Carlisle explained. "It'll cause problems for every vampire in the area. We don't need their kind of justice."

"We need to worry about a fighting strategy as well," Jasper said, coming into the conversation. He moved to sit across from me, hands clasped between his knees. Alice moved behind him, hands on his shoulders. She was trying to get a grip on the future, but it wasn't working.

"Agreed. The wolves won't be taken down easily."

"They'll be no match for us," Emmett said, the thrill clear in his voice. It sounded like nothing but fun to him. He hadn't had a real fight in ages. We would have to make sure that Emmett wasn't allowed to say anything. I didn't want him to goad anyone into anything. That's the last thing we needed at the moment.

"Do not underestimate them, Emmett," Carlisle said very seriously.

"Come on, they're a bunch of teenage boys!" He scoffed. He should have known better than anyone that looks could be deceiving.

"That are designed specifically to rip us to shreds, you idiot," Jasper chided him for his boasting behavior. Jasper for one did wanted to fight. He had enough fighting for his lifetime. "They could easily kill one of us if we're not completely careful."

"That's not an option," I whispered with a sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. "This is getting us no where. We need a battle plan. What are our best options?"

"I think Esme taking Bella is the best thing to start with," Jasper nodded his head. "Your head won't be in the game if you're constantly trying to protect her. Esme, stand with her at all times. Have a hold of her, at all times," he said very seriously. He drew in a deep before speaking out his plan which was quickly forming in his brain. "They have an alpha, correct? It would be wisest to take him out first. They'll be unorganized for several minutes after that, simply fighting on instincts until a new alpha emerges."

We nodded our heads in agreement. "We should take the youngest out after that. Seth, Embry, and Quil. They'll be the easiest to take down and it'll be easier to fight the strongest once they're out of the way. I believe that leaves Jacob and Paul. Paul is small but powerful. He's also a loose canon. It's easy to piss him off and distract him. That leaves Jacob," I said, feeling almost as if I was out of breath.

"Do you want the pleasure of taking him out yourself? Emmett asked with a raised eyebrow, taunting me.

I smirked, not going to answer this question. "You do know this isn't the plan, right? That we're hoping for the best and simply planning for the worst."

"Yeah, but, I mean, if it does happen to be the 'worst' would you like to kick his ass?" He laughed quietly, his arms going behind his head as he leaned back in his chair. He was such an arrogant ass at times.

"Hush, Emmett," Carlisle said, playing the parent before I decided to kick Emmett's ass. I needed to stay focused and I didn't want to be distracted by his childishness. "Rosalie," he said in a soft voice, looking directly at Emmett as he spoke. It spoke volumes. He wanted Emmett to have some control over his cranky wife, though it wasn't really possible. "I know you're listening to. You're a part of this as well. Come down here."

"I don't see why," she said as she turned the corner almost instantly. "I'm not going."

"We are going as a family," Carlisle informed her. This isn't a discussion. Carlisle was speaking as a leader, not as a father or a friend. This was the best for all of us and he wasn't going to let her act in such a way that could hurt any of people he cared about.

"Bella isn't my family," she hissed.

"She will be," I told her firmly, standing up. "You know, I don't care if you go or not but I would hope that you would go to protect the people you love. Your husband, your mother, your brothers, your sister. Forget about Bella, do it to protect them"

She huffed, turning her head to the side as she crossed her arms. "Fine, whatever. For them, not for you or her."

"Fine with me," I growled back.

"Thank you, Rose," Carlisle said, looking at me this time as he spoke. The words '_be nice_,' flashed in his brain. I nodded my head just slightly before glancing at the clock. I needed to calm down and gather my wits before this and being down here with Emmett and Rosalie wasn't going to do that. I only needed Bella at the moment.

"It'll take around thirty minutes to arrive there on foot. I know the way. I don't think we should arrive too early or too late, it may draw unwanted attention. We should leave at around eleven twenty or so. That would be our best shot," I said as I walked up the stairs to my sleeping angel. "That gives us about an hour. Be prepared."

**Thanks for the fantastic reviews so far! I love them! I would love to get to 700 reviews this chapter- if possible. That would be fantastic. If you do you may be rewarded with another chapter sooner. Reviews equal inspiration. **

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**The meeting is next chapter. How do you think it'll go? Fight or Friendship?**


	10. Meeting

**Meeting**

I waited until about fifteen minutes before we had to leave to wake up Bella. I didn't want to wake her up any sooner. I had to think a while anyway. I had to deal with some of the fear that I had building up inside of my chest. Pressing it down before I disregarded her wishes completely, I kissed Bella's lip lightly.

"Love, we need to leave soon," I whispered against her lips. Bella sucked in a deep breath, lifting up to kiss my lips again with a soft moan. I was pretty sure she wasn't awake yet so I humored her, kissing her deeply.

Bella gasped against my mouth, clutching my shoulders as her back arched upwards. "Edward!" She moaned loudly. "Please..."

"Please, what?" I chuckled as I pulled back, brushing the hair away from her eyes.

"Don't stop," she whined, finally opening her eyes.

"As much as I'd rather stay here, ravishing you repeatedly, we have to get going if we want to make it on time... unless you'd rather-"

She stopped me before I could finish. "Of course, the meeting. I'm sorry. Just let me get my boots on and go to the bathroom. Meet me downstairs?"

"Of course," I gave her a small sad smile before going down the stairs were my family was waiting. I knew she wasn't going to change her mind but it was worth a try at least. Carlisle handed me a small gray coat.

"For Bella. It's cold tonight."

I nodded my head, not really wanting to think too much. I focused on tuning out everyone's thoughts instead. Some were nervous, some were excited, but none of them were things I wanted to hear at the moment. I had my own things on my mind and I didn't need to bother with theirs.

I smiled as Bella came down the stairs with a freshly washed face and hands. Her hair was pulled up into a loose pony tail at the top of her head, bouncing with every step. Without even thinking I moved to meet her there with an outstretched hand.

"You can stay, you know. Esme will-"

"Edward, I want to go. Please? It'll be fine. Come on, we don't want to be late," Bella said in a soft sweet voice, running a hand through my hair. I nodded and slowly turned after handing her jacket. Without a word she hopped onto my back after slipping her arms through the sleeves, wrapping her legs tightly around me. Bella buried her face in my neck, snuggling in close before placing a light kiss.

"Let's go," I said quietly to the rest of my family. Carlisle opened the door and waved me on, letting me lead the way since I was the only one who knew where this place was. We started off slow, getting into our positions before going into a full run. I was flanked on either side by Jasper and Emmett with Alice and Esme directly behind. Carlisle and Rosalie went through the trees, making sure that there was no way she was above us. We were not going to let Victoria sneak up on us. The entire time, Bella kept her face hidden.

Within minutes of the site, I began to smell wolf. We began to slow as I listened for their thoughts, wanting to know exactly what we were heading into. When we were just out of range I whispered to Bella,"you will stay within touching distance of me or Esme at all times. This is not up for discussion. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," she spoke against my neck. "Edward, they won't hurt me."

"Even if they don't there are others that can. Just do as I say on this. This is for your own protection."

She nodded slowly, finally agreeing without a fight. I was glad of this. I couldn't handle an argument on this point. She had to understand my point of view with it all. I was simply worried about her. She would feel the same way if the roles were reversed.

Once we got within fifty feet of the wolves, I put Bella down so that she could walk beside me. Sweetly, she took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as she looked over at me. It was like she was reassuring me. Honestly, I needed it. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes before I spoke.

"I hope you're all in human form," I called out into the darkness knowing that they could have heard me if I was a hundred more feet away and whispering.

"We are," Sam called back after a second. "Bella's with you?" He asked as he sniffed the air, smelling her naturally sweet scent. It wasn't sure if it was because it was on me or if she was actually standing beside me. The sounds of our feet crunching through the leaves covered the sound of her heartbeat.

"Hi, Sam," Bella called with a smile as she crunched through the underbrush the loudest. We all walked together now, Esme directly behind Bella with Emmett beside her. Jasper stood at my side with Alice holding his hand. Rosalie stood at the back, along with Carlisle.

"Who's speaking at this little conference? You or are your leader?" Sam called back, simply relieved that Bella was alright. Actually, he could smell her happiness which made him feel a little bit better. It pissed Jacob off to no end.

"We're a family," Carlisle called to him, touching my shoulder. "Edward is going to speak for us right now. We stand behind and beside him in whatever he says."

I heard Jacob scoff as we approached, about ten feet apart now. "Hey, Jake," Bella gave a small sad smile. I could tell she was saddened by his anger, but she wasn't going to hold back because of it.

"So, you're with the leeches now?" Paul asked, disgruntled to be here. He didn't like Bella at first but he did now and he hated seeing her with us. His enemy.

"Jeez, don't put it that way. I'm friends of you both. You are both my family."

"It's one or the other," he growled. "It doesn't work that-"

"Shut it," Sam growled at him. "It's Bella's choice. We all know what we'd prefer but it's obvious where her heart lies. Now, what do you want to talk about?"

"We both have a problem. A problem we have not been able to deal with on our own. Do you agree that your main goal at this point is to rid Forks of the rouge Vampire and to protect Bella and all the people in the town in the process?" I began, standing a little taller as I did so. Bella's hand tightened in my own.

"Yes, that is one of our main goals." _Getting rid of you as well would be nice_, he added in his brain.

"How would you like to obtain all three goals? Protect Bella, get rid of Victoria, and have us leave?"

"How did you...?" He trailed off. "Do you know what I'm thinking?"_ Son of a bitch, I thought it was a legend. _

"Yes, what all of you are thinking. I'm surprised Jacob didn't tell you," I smirked.

Sam turned to look at Jacob who looked away, arms crossed over his massive bare chest. "He's been distracted lately. But yes, those are all things that we'd like. How do you propose we do this?"

"First, a truce. We aren't getting her separately and we've both tried for months. I think the only way we'll be able to destroy her is if we work together. I realize that none of us wish to do so, that's why I offer an incentive for you," I waited for the mumble in the group of wolves to calm down before I began again. "It'll be more than worth it, I believe."

"What's the incentive and what will we have to do?" Sam asked, taking a step forward in the leader position.

"First, no more restricted areas. Allow us access to your lands and you to ours as well. We will work together in groups and plans out lines of attack. We'll share the information we both have in hopes that we will find the missing bit of information we need to take her down," I explained quickly.

"And the incentive?" He said, not playing around.

"As soon as she's burned into ashes, my entire family will leave the area of Forks and shall never return again. We will stay a hundred miles away from your reservation at all times," I said simply.

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. "There is something else, isn't there?"

"I do have one other condition," I sighed. This is the one I was worried about.

"Lets hear it."

"If Bella is mortally wounded and there is no other possible way to save her, then allow me or one of my family to change her."

Bella gasped as Jacob growled. She hadn't expected me to ask that. There were was an outburst of talking amongst the group. "I will not allow you to change-" Jacob began, but Sam broke him off with a raised hand as he once again took control.

"You will not change her otherwise? Only if she is mortally wounded? Does she agree to this?" He asked.

"Yes," Bella smiled up at me with shining beautiful brown eyes.

"Bella! How could you want to be like him? He ripped you apart and now you want to be just like him? Why?" Jacob demanded angrily.

"Edward is my past, present, and my future, Jacob. You know I can't be happy without him. You saw me without him. Yes, this is what I want," Bella said, holding my hand so tight that I was worried that she may hurt herself. The warmth was amazing though and coursed through my entire body. I felt so calm with her by my side, even at this moment.

"We won't change her while in Washington if at all possible," Carlisle said, stepping in. "We won't allow any harm to come to her if possible. If we both do our jobs then we won't have to worry about it at all. Now, do you agree?"

Sam sighed heavily, running his hand through his short hair. Jacob came to his side. "No, we do not. We can get her own our own."

"We did not ask you, dog. We asked Sam. It's his decision. This is his pack," I growled at him. I could see with every passing second Sam was coming closer and closer to agreeing. The rest of the wolves were confused and a little angry but they knew this was the best idea for all of them. This way they could save future generations from being like them. None of them wanting nothing more, except for Jacob. He only wanted Bella.

"You will leave this area and never return?" Sam confirmed with his hand on his chin, ignoring Jacob's little outburst. He was frustrated with Jacob's teenage hormones and his lack of thinking. At the moment he was all fight and no plan. It would get them all killed if he wasn't careful. This was the time when careless mistakes were made.

"Never," I assured him. "Me and my _entire_ family."

"You're right, we cannot defeat her on our own. We agree. No harm will come you to from any of my pack members as long as you agree not to harm another human being," said in a deep voice, the noise echoing through the trees.

Jacob was so furious that he began to shake. I took a step in front of Bella and I knew that Esme's hands tightened on Bella's shoulders, ready to run at a moment's notice. Sam took another step forward, between me and Jacob. Jake snarled and took a step back, knowing there was nothing he could do without pulling away from the pack itself. Embry put a hand on his shoulder but he pushed it off and started to stalk towards the woods. He knew he was going to get his 'ass chewed out' by Sam as soon as he changed but he didn't care. He was too ticked off.

"Of course," I nodded. "We need to begin the planning process as soon as possible."

Sam nodded his head, "we'll send out our normal patrols tonight and tomorrow night we will meet at your home to discuss this further. Eight PM? I cannot arrange anything sooner than that."

"Perfect, thank you for meeting us tonight and thank you for listening," I said humbly, moving back beside Bella. I squeezed her hand and started to pull her towards the woods again without a single word. Within a second she was on my back and we began to run again.

"That went better than expected," Carlisle said as he came beside me. I was a bit slower with Bella on my back but he was struggling to keep up even then.

"Much. But Sam is a very logical man. I've watched him over the past few months and seen that. He has decent control over his pack as well and with each passing month his control improves. He's become a masterful leader," I said rather loudly to him.

Carlisle nodded his head in agree. He pulled back slightly. "Jasper, Alice, go make a run and see if you catch her scent any. Report back to us in an hour."

They both broke off without a word, running together effortlessly. Carlisle went beside Esme, taking her hand. It was then that I began to hear the voice in my head. It was angry, but not truly violent. It only took me a few seconds to realize who it was. _Jacob_.

"We're being followed,' I muttered so quietly that Bella couldn't hear over the whooshing of the air past her ears. "Jacob."

_He wants to make sure that Bella is safe_, Esme thought a little sadly._ He is her friend._

"I know," I sighed. "I know."

_The confrontation isn't going to be good_, Carlisle thought with a sigh in his head. I nodded my head in agreement.

Only a few minutes later we were back at the house. Rosalie stomped inside, angry that she had to go in the first place when she was obviously unneeded. Emmett sighed and went inside with her, going to try to make her happy if that was possible. I doubted it greatly. With a fleeting thought _of, call me if you need any help_, he trudge up the stairs like a man going to get executed. Esme and Carlisle went inside as well, but just to the living room. Like me they didn't think Jacob was going to be a real physical threat, but they knew that he was mad and he was going to let it out.

I placed Bella on her feet on the front porch, instantly taking hold of her hand as I stood by her side. "Jacob Black," I called out into the darkness. "I know you're there and I know you're in wolf form. If you want to talk to Bella, you better have some pants on."

"Very funny, leech," he called after a crackling pop. "You're a regular comedian."

"Who's says I was being funny?" I mumbled. Bella raised her eyebrow at me and I instantly knew what it meant. _Be nice_. "What's your business here?"

"I can't talk to my best friend?" He said sarcastically as he walked out of the trees, his shorts laying low on his hips, barely covering what needed to be covered. He did it just to piss me off. _Maybe she wouldn't mind seeing me naked. Are you worried, blood sucker?_

"Trust me, that's one _thing_ I'm not worried about," I growled back. Bella tugged on my hand and huffed, rolling her eyes at my display of annoyance.

"What do you need, Jacob?" Bella asked, taking a step forward. I came behind her and placed my hands on her shoulders, rubbing them gently in support.

"I need you to tell me something. What's going to happen when they leave, Bella?" He asked, going straight to the point quickly. He believed in the band-aid theory.

"I will go with them," Bella said, her voice strong but quiet. There was no need to say it any louder. "I am a part of this family."

"The hell you are. He left you-"

"He didn't leave, Jacob! And he was just trying to protect me. We both know now that we can't live without each other and that this is the life I want." Bella cut him off, her words rushed as she tried to explain herself. "I want this."

"Ah huh, and what if he wants to 'protect' you again?" He asked, forming his fingers into quotes.

"It almost killed me. I won't do it again. I see that I was foolish in doing so and I will not make the same mistake again. I want Bella in my life, I need her," I brought one of my hands over the side of her neck, brushing her hair away from it before leaning down to lightly kiss it. Bella leaned into my touch, her heart rate picking up slightly. The minute my lips touched her skin Jacob's breath caught in his throat and he took a step forward. "What? Do you think I'd bite her right in front of you? I don't want to do it at all and you think I'm daft enough to do it in front of a werewolf?"

"What do you mean you don't want to do it?" He growled at me with his fists balled up. "You need her and yet you're not going to-"

"Jake, this is none of your business," Bella interrupted.

"The hell it is-" He started again but Bella growled and stomped her foot as she pulled away from me.

"It is none of your business," she repeated. "My life. It is MY LIFE."

"And what about Charlie, huh? You're going to disappear and never see him again? What's that going to do to him? To your mom? Do you not care about them?" Jacob demanded. Bella started to slightly shake, the smell of salt filling the air.

"You've said your peace, now leave before I remove you," I demanded, placing a hand on Bella shoulder. She turned back into me, placing her face in my shirt. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, kissing the top of her head.

"You're being stupid and selfish. And, I can't be your friend if you're with him," Jacob informed her maliciously.

"Goodbye, Jacob," Bella said into my shirt.

"Leave," I said above her head in a low voice. I knew Jake heard it because his eyes narrowed on me before turning into the woods again. The sound of popping and shredding echoed through the air. He hadn't even bothered to change. I'm surprised he could hold his anger that long. "I'm sorry, love. It's okay. Don't cry."

Bella ignored my words and buried her face deeper into my shirt, her fingers wrapping tightly in the fabric. I kissed the top of her head again, letting my nose bury in her dark beautiful hair. She cried into my chest, her fingers curling and twisting as she let out her sobs. It seemed like hours before she finally calmed down.

"Take me upstairs," Bella whispered into my shirt when she finally found her voice again. "Please."

**Sorry this chapter took so long to post. I was going to post it for you last night but my power was out the ENTIRE night. First time since my house was built, 3 years ago. There was a pretty big explosion outside my house and everything. Lightening stuck a pole or something. It was crazy. Everyone is fine though. **

**On twitter if you want to follow!- Jayeliwood**

**So, did the meeting go as you thought it would?**


	11. Choices

**Choices**

I quickly took Bella upstairs, both Carlisle and Esme were silent as they left the house hand in hand. They knew that we needed our time alone, that we needed time to reconnected as a couple and that Bella needed me to comfort her, however that may be. Bella was continuing to cry into my chest as I carried her, taking in deep breathes as she tried to sooth her aching lungs. I could tell it wasn't working though.

"I'm sorry I'm so emotional," she whimpered almost weakly. "I just-" she started but quickly shook her head, like she couldn't get the words to come out of her mouth. It was almost a little hard to listen to. It was heartbreaking.

"It's okay. You don't have to explain yourself. It's alright, I understand," I assured her as I took her into my room. I carefully laid her on the couch before going to turn on some soothing classical music. I sat beside her and then carefully arranged her so that she was sitting on my lap. Laying my hand on her forehead, I sighed. "You're too warm. Why don't you take this off? You'll feel more comfortable," I tugged on the sleeve of her jacket. She nodded slowly and I helped her as she pushed it off of her arms. Silently she laid her head on my shoulder, her fingers curled into my sweater.

After a few minutes I heard Emmett convince Rosalie to go hunting, saying that it would make her feel better. He knew we needed some time alone and had enough tact to actually give it to us instead of listening in and teasing me later. Rosalie just went because she wanted to kill something and since she wasn't able to kill me, something to eat was the next best choice.

Bella took in deep slow breathes as she calmed herself, my hand dragging slowly up and down her side to help sooth her. "I've lost my best friend," she finally said with a sad tone.

"Bella, if he lets me come in between you two, I'm not sure he's the kind of friend you want. I know he wants to protect you and I understand that, but if he's going to take you out of his life because of this-" I shook my head with a sigh. "I would hate it if you chose Jacob over me, but I would have rather been in your life as your friend than not at all. The idea of not having you at all is-" I cut myself off again and shook my head a tiny bit.

She looked up, concerned etched on her beautiful features. "There was no choice, Edward."

I laid my head back on the couch so to avoid her eyes. I knew they wouldn't be happy after this comment, "you say that, but there was."

"Yes, I suppose there was. Life and death. I could die slowly without you or I could have a life full of love and happiness with you," she explained as she straddled my hips, placing her hands on either side of my face so that I would look at her. Bella was not going to take any of my evasiveness.

"You would have found happiness," I closed my eyes as I said the words, hating the truth in them. "Eventually. Jacob could have-"

"I would have found moments of it, but it would never be the same. Every second I am with you I am so alive and I'm happy. No matter what's going on, no matter what we're doing together.. Edward, look at me," she urged.

I did so, but instead of saying anything she lightly kissed my lips while her fingers snaked into my hair, tugging it gently at the roots. I moaned against her lips, my hands finding their way to her waist. I gripped them gently, massaging her hip bones with my thumbs. Finally she came up for air, leaning her head back slightly with a smile and her eyes closed. Slowly, I leaned forward and kissed the tip of her chin. "I love you."

She opened her eyes slowly as she refocused on me, "I love you, too. Edward, so much. So much more than you'll ever know, even if I do have a thousand years to show you."

My arms encircled her waist, pulling her tightly to my chest as we began to kiss again. Her arms wrapped around my neck, her stomach pressed against my own. With every passing second her heart rate picked up, faster and faster. Finally, after several minutes and being completely flustered, she pulled away panting. "God, you are so beautiful like this," I muttered, my hand sliding underneath her sweater at her hips.

"Edward, can you do something for me?" She asked in a pleading voice. I would have done anything for her at that moment.

"Anything," I assured her as I kissed up her jaw to her ear. "I will do anything you desire, my love."

"Make love to me, please. Edward, I need you. I need to feel you." Her voice was almost strained, fear tainting them. Was she actually worried that I would turn her down? There was no possible way that was happening.

Carefully I pulled her off of my lap and she gazed at me with a confused, slightly worried, expression. Gently, I tugged the throw blanket that was half way underneath her bottom without moving her and arranged it on the floor while on my knees, making it a perfect square. Bella smiled and scooted off of the couch and onto her knees in front of me.

"I need a bed so badly," I muttered as she walked over on her knees closer to me.

"Yes, yes you do," she teasingly giggled, her arms going around my neck. "But I don't care about that right now. I only care about you."

I carefully laid her back against the blanket and went to her feet. While kicking off my own, I unlaced her boot laces and slipped them off of her feet. When each foot was free, she wiggled her toes to allow them to breath. I pulled the socks off as well, quickly pulling my own off as well in a lightening quick movement. Those would just get in the way later. I massaged my hands over her jean covered legs until I reached the button. I popped it easily, quickly pulling the zipper down. Though there was a quickness to my actions, this was not rushed in the least. I savored the moment as I watched her wiggle free of the tight hip hugging jeans. I gasped as I saw her panties already wet for me.

"I do this to you?" I asked, carefully running my fingers over the center of her thighs.

"You can't tell me you don't know what you do to me," she stopped talking as my fingers began to massage her through the cotton, her head leaning back. "Edward," Bella gasped.

"Say my name like that again," I begged quietly, rubbing slightly harder. I was rewarded with a loud moan as her fingers gripped the throw below her.

"Edward!"

"So beautiful," I said in a low husky voice as I pulled my fingers away. I worked my hands underneath her sweater and pushed it upwards until finally I tugged it over her head. She laid in front of me in nothing but her panties and bra, panting and flushed. Already little beads of sweat pearled at her hairline, dampening her hair.

Her hands knotted in my hair, pulling me down for a soft but passionate kiss. With her own hands she tugged off my shirt and then my pants, leaving me nude. She pulled away to look at me, her hands grazing my sides up and down. "Finish taking my clothes off. I need you."

I chuckled at her impatience, pulling off her bra quickly once she raised her back up slightly. Kissing each of her nipples, I tugged her panties off next. I settled myself between her legs, brushing against her moist entrance. Her smell whirled around me, the venom pooling in my mouth. She smelled so delicious. I swallowed hard, laying my head down on her shoulder. "I'm not sure if I can..." I trailed off, closing my eyes tightly.

"Edward, you can. Trust me. Trust yourself. I know that you would never hurt me. You did it earlier," she whispered into my ear, massaging my neck. Slowly she pushed herself up and I pressed inside of her. Gasping, I moaned and forced myself deeper inside of her automatically. Bella hummed in pleasure, one of her legs wrapping around my waist. "More, god. Please, more."

I lifted myself up, my hands on either side of her head as I pushed myself fully inside of her. With a low hiss of pleasure, her cheeks flushed as her back arched up into my chest. Her nipples pressed against my cold skin, instantly getting even harder. Bella's fingers dug into my shoulder as we began to move at a slow and steady pace.

"Does it feel good?" I asked through gritted teeth, feeling my end coming for too soon. I wanted to hold out for her. I wanted to feel her first before I lost myself completely.

"So good, Edward. Oh, my god..." She panted as she planted her feet firmly on the ground with bent knees, pressing herself harder upwards. The movements became more frantic after this point, quicker and more erratic. "Almost there... I'm almost..." She warned breathlessly.

I lowered my lips to her nipples to distract myself, hoping to hold out just a little longer. I pulled one of them the pink nubs into my mouth, flicking my tongue over it again and again until it was harder than a rock. Bella writhed, her actions no longer rhythmic. I moved to the other and Bella screamed out, her nails scratching violently against my back.

My world exploded in fireworks, the heat of her milking body too much for me as the sound of her heartbeat echoed so loudly in my ears that it sounded like a drum, thrumming constantly. Her hot panting breath spread over my face, dragging me further into bliss as I closed my eyes and called out her name. I settled down, knowing she was sensitive at this point. After what seemed like forever I began to move again. She groaned but not in a pleasurable way so I pulled out quickly. "Too much?"

"Just give me a little while," Bella said with a heavy blush, one of her eyes open as she focused on me, the other shut tightly.

I chuckled and settled down beside her, my hand on her stomach. "No, not a little while. You need to get some rest. I have to remember that you can't do this all night."

"I can do this all night," she protested quickly.

I laughed, pushing a bit of sweaty hair out of her eyes. "And be able to walk the next day? I don't think so. You need to get some rest," I leaned down and lightly kisses her lips. "We can do this again very _very_ soon. But, you've got to be sore and tired. Why don't you get some rest for me?"

Bella yawned and I had known I had won. I flashed her a small smile before pressing a kiss on her forehead. "Sure, sure. But we're taking a shower together in the morning."

"Mm, yes, ma'am," I agreed, tugging the throw mostly over her and saving some to go over my hips so I wasn't flashing anyone. "I love you," I whispered as her eyes began to droop.

"You, too," she mumbled, her face pressed into my chest. It wasn't seconds later that she was asleep. When I looked over at the clock, I realized why. It was just about three in the morning. I lovingly kissed her forehead before reaching for my jeans. I knew my family would be home soon and I didn't want them to see me this way. We were close, but not that close.

I laid while holding Bella loosely in my arms until the sun began to rise. It was around that time that Alice and Jasper came home, their thoughts a little frustrated at not being able to find Victoria. They were hoping to get that over with, especially with Alice's power, but she kept slipping away before they could. Finally around four they gave up and Alice decided to go shopping at some all night store, which surprised me. That usually wasn't her type of place. Not long after I heard them come in, Alice's fingers gently tapped on my door.

"Come in," I said in a very low voice. Alice poked her head inside and smiled down at my blanket wrapped beloved. "What do you need?"

"I brought Bella some stockings and heels. She's going to need them for the funeral," she explained as she set the stuff on my sofa. I could see something about it was troubling her.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"I can see the beginning of it and I can see you two going together, but after a certain point it goes all fuzzy. I don't know what it means," she sighed. "It's frustrating and I don't know why."

I nodded my head. "Do you think anything is going to happen?"

"I don't think you should go, Edward," Alice blurted out quickly before her mind could stop her.

"Why?"

"Because it's not a good idea. Our relations aren't that good yet. This is their place and their event. Their loved one," she explained in a twittering rush.

"Yes, but Bella wants me there for support," I pointed out.

Alice sighed, sitting at the edge of the couch. "It'll tick them off. You should think about this a bit more before you go. I know Bella needs your support but-"

I stopped her before she could go on, "I understand. I'll see what Bella wants to do. So, I'm guessing the funeral is tomorrow?"

"No, the viewing is. Bella won't be going to the funeral at Charlie's request but he'll ask her to go to the viewing for him. He'll also ask her to bring some food for the family because he can't cook. I got some fried chicken and a casserole. Apparent it's 'traditional'," Alice wrinkled her nose at the last word. _Smells_ _disgusting_, her mind added. "I bought some things to eat for Bella as well. She's going to be spending a lot of time here over the next week."

"Thanks, sis," I smiled as she got up.

"We need to get you a bed," she raised her eyebrow, waving a finger between the two of us. "Want me to get you one?"

"No," I shook my head with a wry smile. "I want Bella and I to pick it out together. I want it to be perfect for her."

"Have you thought anymore about proposing?" Alice grinned wickedly. Instead of answering I pointed towards the door. "Fine. I was just curious. By the way, Charlie will call the house around nine in the morning. The viewing is at three."

"Thanks," I muttered as she left "I know what you are. Curious doesn't begin to cover it." Alice quickly stuck her tongue out at me. I returned the gesture before turning my attention to my dreaming love. She was beginning to move and squirm in her sleep, making sweet little mewing noises. I wished so much that I could hear what she was dreaming.

It didn't take me long to figure out exactly what she was dreaming about. When she started moaning my name, I decided it was time to get completely dressed and cleaned up a little bit. Splashing cold water over my face, I took in a deep cleansing breath.

It was around seven when Carlisle and Esme came in together. They had hunted that night, along with other things I didn't care to think about. I decided to go down to make Bella some breakfast while I talked to them. I didn't want to bother Bella anyway. I knew she wasn't going to get much more sleep.

"Morning," I said as I came down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. Esme was sitting at the island, reading the news paper with Carlisle by her side.

"Morning," Carlisle smiled rather slyly. I rolled my eyes, ignoring their teenage behavior as I started to go through the cabinets to fix her something to eat. They were completely stocked now. I guess Alice figured out that I wanted to get Bella eating a little more and healthier. I pulled down the oatmeal and began to read the instructions. It didn't seem too complicated. I would also make her some eggs and bacon. She ate that often.

"There has been around five missing people in Seattle in the past couple of days," Esme commented with a sigh. "This isn't a good sign. Do you know is Alice has seen anything about it?"

"No. But I don't think she was looking for something like that either," I said as I began to mix and pour the grained. "I'm sure she's on it now."

"I hope it's not connected but something tells me differently," Carlisle said with a sigh of his own. S_he's building __an army like..._ He trailed off. I knew exactly what he was referring too. I nodded my head at his words.

"The sooner we take her out, the better," I said as I poured the oatmeal into a bowl. It looked like it was molten lava and was way too hot for Bella to eat. I started next with bacon and eggs. I heard a soft giggle behind me and I turned my head, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"I love how sweet you are to her," Esme shrugged. "Want me to make her some milk to drink?"

"Yes, please," I smiled. I felt at home for the first time in a long time.

**I would have posted this yesterday but the internet went down and stayed down. But, I got to write so it was all good! That made me happy! **

**Thanks for the fantastic reviews so far! This story got nominated for an award and I want to thank whoever did it! I'll let you know when voting begins! **

**So, did you like the loving? I know you guys dislike Jacob in this story. I worry it's only going to get worse after here lol**


	12. Twice awoken

**Twice Awoken**

I carried Bella's breakfast up the stairs on a tray. I had no idea where it came from but I'm pretty sure that Alice was the one who originally bought it and probably for this purpose exactly. Bella was just beginning to stir from her sleep when I came in, her eyes fluttering open and closed slowly. She rolled over, clutching the blanket over her chest as she came onto her stomach. "Oh, Edward, wow..."

"Thought you might be hungry," I said with a smile as I sat on the floor beside her. Slowly she rose to her knees, sitting back on her hunches. She pushed a strand of hair out of her face as she bit her bottom lip, eying her food happily.

"Way too much food but this looks amazing. I am so hungry," she hummed as she picked up the fork and dove into the eggs right away. Bringing a large mouth full she hummed again, making a show of licking her lips.

"You don't need to pretend it's amazing. I've hardly ever cooked before, even when I was a human," I complained with a smirk. She picked up her spoon to try some of the oatmeal and raised an eyebrow.

"Edward, I love you... But, you know what? I'm not going to stroke your ego. You're amazing at everything, just admit it already. You can even make perfect eggs."

I snorted and laid down, a hand on my stomach and another behind my head as I gazed up at her. "You are so silly. I'm not amazing at most things."

"Most things," Bella scoffed, or as much as she could scoff with a mouth full of oatmeal. "You're ridiculous."

I wasn't going to argue the point with her anymore so I decided to change the subject. "Alice saw a vision that Charlie will be calling the house around nine. She says the viewing is today and that Charlie doesn't feel comfortable with you going to the funeral for some reason," I explained.

Bella nodded her head, taking a big sip of orange juice before diving back into her eggs. "I guess I'll wear that dress that you bought me. Do you think it'll be alright?"

"I think that you'll look beautiful and yes, it would be alright. Alice bought you some stockings and some shoes to wear so you won't have to go home. I'm assuming that you won't be wearing any make up but if you want any help with your hair, I'm sure Alice would like to help," I offered her. I could practically see Alice's ears perk on the floor below us.

"I might take her up on that. Something simple, nothing too fancy." Bella said after she finished her eggs. She picked up the bowl of oatmeal and sat it on her lap since it had cooled down, eating like she had never eaten before. I was so glad that she had gotten some of her appetite back.

Alice made a little mental cheer, already planning out what she wanted to do with Bella's hair. I looked over at the clock and saw that it was 8:50 and Charlie would call in the next few minutes. I hopped up and grabbed the cordless phone before sitting beside her again, rolling it between my fingers. "I think we need to talk about something."

"Oh, what?" Bella asked, suddenly very serious with a worried expression. She sat down the bowl and gave me her total attention.

"It's nothing that bad, it's just this thing... I don't know if I should go or not. I know we said no boundaries but-"

Bella placed a hand on my cheek. "It's fine, Edward. I understand. You'll just have to drop me off at home before hand."

"The thing is, I don't want to leave you alone for any length of time," I said in a soft voice.

"You will have to at some point though, and most of the pack will be there. I will be protected."

"It's not the same," I whispered.

Bella sat up on her knees a little more, coming to face level with me. Placing both hands on my cheeks as she looked into my eyes. "I will be fine. How about this? You drive me there and you can pick me up when it's over?"

"How about I drop you off and wait in the car for you until it's over?" I offered instead. "We can go shopping afterwards until it's time for the meeting."

"Shopping?" She crinkled her eyes for a moment before the snapped open with the realization. "Oh yeah, bed shopping. Yeah, that would be fantastic."

"I can take you home after that," I stated with a nod, even though I didn't want to.

"After the meeting, yup," she commented offhandedly.

"No-"

"Edward, I will be a part of that meeting. This is about me. There won't be any danger involved here. Not right now. Why would you try to block me out now?" She cut me off, a disappointed look on her face.

"Because I have a feeling there will be a lot of bickering going on. You don't need to be around that," I said with a sigh.

"I'm going to the meeting. Maybe it won't be so bad if I'm there."

"I doubt that," I mumbled.

"Edward, shall we not fight over something that you are not going to change my mind on? I'm going to the meeting and that's final."

"And that's final?" I teased back with a smirk and a sigh. "Fine. I'll 'take' you home and then I can come back through your window, like before.

Bella sighed and looked away, her hands slipping onto her lap. "Edward, you need to go hunting. I can tell it's been a while."

I knew she was right and I knew I needed to have the best control when I was around her but that didn't mean I was happy about it. I nodded my head just as the phone rang. "It's Charlie," I commented, holding up the phone for her to take. She swallowed hard before taking the plastic from my fingertips.

"Hey, dad," she began.

"_How did you know it was me?" _Charlie asked, sounding confused.

"Caller ID," she said with a smirk. I smiled slightly and laid back to listen to the conversation.

"_Oh, yeah, okay. Um, so they're having the viewing today and I thought maybe, well I was hoping really that-"_ He sounded so nervous for some reason.

"Sure, dad. I'll be there. Where is it at and when?"

"_Fork First Baptist, it's right by the school,_" he explained quietly.

"They're not having it at the rez?" Bella asked in shock. Well, that certainly would make things easier for me in the long wrong. I was free to go on this land anyway but I still wasn't going to go into the viewing either way. I knew Alice was right about this. Her fears were well founded but nothing would stop me from keeping an eye on her. All the wolves would be distracted by their grief. Bella needed to be protected by someone who was thinking about her and only her.

"_Nah, the reception hall is too small for all the people that are going to be there. Harry touched a lot of people's __lives. Sue decided that it was for the best,_" he explained.

"That makes sense," Bella agreed. "What time is it?" She asked for show.

"_Three. It's going to run a couple hours but you don't have to be there for the whole thing, of course. I'm going to stay with Sue and help her clean up afterwards. Oh, would you mind bringing some food? They're doing this snack thing. The church is making a lot of food and a lot of people are bringing things. Would you mind?" _

I mouthed the word 'casserole,' and Bella nodded her head, agreeing. "Sure thing," she put her hand over the mouth piece. "Did Alice get what I need?"

"Of course," I whispered back with a laugh. "It's taken care of."

"_Alright, well, I see you up there later, kiddo?_" Charlie interrupted our quiet conversation.

"Yea, bye dad."

"_Yeah, bye. Oh, and Bella?_" He called before she could hang up.

"What?"

"_Love you,_" he was very quiet but I could tell Bella heard it crystal clear because her eyes welled up a little bit.

"You, too, dad. Bye."

She handed the phone back to me and gave me a weak smile. "Well," I began, running my fingers over her jaw. "That gives you about six hours before you need to be there. Want to nap a bit more before we shower?"

She laid back, biting her bottom lip as she looked at me before crooking her little finger in my direction. I grinned and laid beside her, kissing her temple lightly. "I forgot about our promised shower," she mumbled.

"You forgot about us getting all wet and soapy together?" I said in mock hurt. Bella laughed, seeing right through me. "Isabella, let me tell you one thing," I said as I brought my face very close to hers, merely inches.

"What's that?"

"One thing I will never forget is getting you all wet," I said in a husky voice. Her face instantly went red and it was my turn to laugh.

"You did it on purpose! You use your powers for evil, you know that!" She laughed, nudging my shoulder. I laughed harder.

"Evil you say? Is that a fact?"

"Yes, it's fact," she breathed as I came to hover over her on my arms, my knees on either side of hers to caging her in.

"You shouldn't have said that," I playfully growled.

Bella squealed with laughter as my mouth descended on her neck, kissing it over and over again while my hands tickled her blanket covered sides. She struggled underneath me, her legs coming free of the blanket to wrap around me. Pushing on my chest in rebellion, Bella called out a loud truce.

"Fine, you don't use your powers for that _much_ evil," Bella muttered, looking anywhere at me. I smirked but pressed a kiss on her lips before rolling to beside her. She instantly snuggled into my side, her legs hitching over my waist. "Do you mind if I sleep a bit longer?" She yawned, "I'm really tired for some reason."

"Sure thing, love. I'll wake you up in a couple of hours?"

"Mm hmm," she mumbled, almost instantly going into a deep sleep with her face pressed against my chest, her fingers curling in and out of the fabric of my shirt.

The time past in a blissful slowness that I cherished. There wasn't enough time like this. I had to savor it when I could. I stroked her lovely hair, working my fingers through the tangled curls gently after randomly kissing her cheeks or forehead.

"How do I love thee..." I mumbled to myself as I looked down at her peaceful face, thinking about one of her favorite writers. "I love the with a passion that helps me turn a blind eye to reason and to what is right," I sighed, making up my own words. I hated the fact that soon, all too soon, she'd be a vampire as well. There was nothing more in this world that I didn't want but I knew that it's what I needed. I needed her in my life and I couldn't function without her.

At a minute past one, I lowered my cold lips to her warm ones and kissed them slowly, the passion growing with each passing second as she began to came alive underneath me. After a minute or so, her arms wrapped around my neck while her fingers tangled with the ends of my hair, twisting and curling my locks. "Time to wake up," I said breathlessly as I pulled away, my lips brushing against hers as I spoke.

"What a way to wake up," she grinned wickedly, her eyes glistening in the dim light filtered through the windows. It was just starting to rain and the sky was gray and threatening. I loved it and it meant that I could spend more time with my love.

"Come on, lets get up so we can take a shower. I know Alice is just dying to get her evil little hands on you," I said in a teasing voice as I stood up to my feet, giving her no room to argue. She followed behind with a pout, holding my hand as we walked to the shower. First I flicked on the shower so the water would be nice and warm for her and then I began to strip out of my clothing. I could have blushed when I turned around to see her expression. "What?" I said, almost wanting to cover myself under her lustful glaze.

"I can't get over how perfect you are. I mean, every part of you is. It was like you were made just for me and I just can't get over it," she said with such a passion that it surprised even me. I instantly took her up into my arms and kissed her firmly, the blanket dropping to the floor in the process. Bella moaned as I carried her into the shower, our lips still attached. It felt so damn good to be with her this way.

"I was made for you," I spoke against her mouth before I lowered her to her feet. I nipped at her bottom lip, sucking it into my mouth before flicking my tongue over it as carefully as I could. "Now, shower you temptress before we start something I definitely would not regret finishing."

Bella pouted slightly before dipping her long and beautiful hair back into the water, her eyes closed as she did so, running her fingers through it. It was the picture of beauty and sexuality. "Your turn," she said when she caught me staring for what seemed the millionth time since we got back together a few days ago. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her body.

I washed myself at a slow pace so I could stay in the shower with Bella as long as possible. I would make up any excuse to stay with her alone for a little bit longer. I hated that I would have to be away from her, not only for part of the afternoon but for part of the night as well. I knew in the future that I would have to take turns going on duty to protect Bella, searching and working with the wolves. It wasn't something I looked forward to in the least but I knew my power would come in handy. On those nights I would have to give up my post to either Alice or Esme, or even one of the wolves. I grimaced at the thought.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked, running her soapy hands over my chest.

"Just thinking about later," I commented, switching places under the water with her.

"Something you want to talk about?" Bella asked with a concerned etched into her features. I ran my thumb over her forehead, smoothing the line of fret.

"No, it's just something I have to deal with on my own. I know I won't like it but I have to grow up and take it," I explained.

She nodded her head, giving me a small smile. She rinsed her hair, climbing out of the shower afterwards. I finished up as well, coming out just as she wrapped herself in a towel.

"I suppose I have to give myself over to Alice?" She teased, looking over her shoulder at me. I grinned at her words, taking a towel for myself so I could dry off. I had to figure out a way to entertain myself for a couple hours and something to wear.

"Most likely."

She sighed, blowing air from her cheeks. Resigned, Bella stomped over and placed a firm kiss on my cheek. "I love you. I'll see you around 2:45."

_Hey, I'm not that bad, _Alice thought rather loudly. I laughed at both of their comments. Honestly, I don't think I had felt so free in a long time. It was almost as if I was lighter.

I listened as Bella skittered off to Alice's room, the items she had gotten for the occasion already in there. I finished drying myself off before going to the closet and picking out something to wear. I wasn't exactly sure what I would be doing in the end so I decided to go with something nicer. The slate gray slacks were neatly pressed and the sky blue shirt pressed as well. I decided to go without a tie because I didn't want to be over dressed but I decided the matching gray blazer might be a good choice. When I was done I realized I had only killed about twenty minutes which wasn't hardly enough.

I made my way downstairs, coming to sit on the couch heavily. "Where's Carlisle?" I asked Emmett as he fiddled with the remote control. He kept flipping the channel, not keeping it on for more than a couple seconds. Even I could hardly tell what was playing.

"First day back," he mumbled, obviously bored.

"Oh, the hospital," I nodded my head. There was about ten more seconds of flipping before I snatched the remote from his hand. "Pick. A. Channel."

Jasper snickered as he flipped through his book, his feet propped up on the ottoman. _Wound up a bit, aren't we?_

"Hush it," I mumbled, only causing him to laugh a little bit harder.

"Sorry, couldn't help it. Seriously, you two are worse than Rose and Em."

"Hey!" Emmett protested, taking the remote back. "We aren't that-"

"Don't even lie," Jasper said with a thick southern drawl.

"Yeah, yeah," Emmett muttered, tossing the remote down and heading out to the garage so he wouldn't get made fun of anymore. Besides, his wife was out there all covered in grease and he wanted to take advantage of that. Sometimes I wished I could block out Emmett completely.

"So, do you know how we're going to work this meeting later?" Jasper asked, closing his book and setting it to the side to show that I had his full attention.

"We need to hunt for her in pairs. Each of us paired off with a werewolf until she's found. One of us at all times will stay with Bella. Charlie should be fine, he's got the wolves protecting him. We will hit all of her hot spots and keep circling. When we close in on her, we'll have the wolves contact each other. They can talk to each other when they're in wolf form, no matter how far apart they are," I explained to him.

"Sounds reasonable. There was another missing persons in Seattle. Edward, she's building an army. I just know it. We need to move in on her soon."

"Man, I know. Trust me, I know," I sighed heavily.

"We need to tell Bella about the southern wars so she understands what's at stake here. We need to let her know what could happen if she doesn't follow orders," Jasper said firmly.

"She's not a soldier, Jasper."

"No, but as of right now we're starting a war. It doesn't matter the size. She needs to know that she needs not to do anything foolish, like in Phoenix. She needs to stick with us and she needs to stick to the plan." I knew he wasn't putting this cruelly on purpose, but he had a point. She did. We couldn't have Bella doing something 'heroic' at the wrong time. She needs to leave this to us.

"Yes," I agreed.

"Good," he patted my shoulder as he stood. I'm going to hunt before the meeting._ I need as much control as possible around the dogs. _

Time seemed to pass slower now but in unpleasant way now. I listened as Alice and Bella joked as she got ready, talking like sisters and old friends. I could tell that they were glad to have each other back in their lives. About an hour before we needed to leave, I placed the casserole in the oven so it would be hot and ready for her. I waited in the kitchen at that point, tapping my fingers on the marble as I waited for it. When the timer went off I wrapped it in foil and placed in some sort of heating bag that Alice got and took it, along with the chicken, out to the car. When I came back inside Bella was walking down the stairs.

The sight took my breath away.

**Yeah, I know, kind of a cliffhanger. Sorry. I originally meant to put this funeral this chapter but it was going to be super long. I decided to split it up. There are worse cliffhangers out there, especially from me. **

**I fixed up my website a bit, if you want to check it out. You can go to my profile and it's my homepage. Also, I'm on twitter- jayeliwood- if you want to follow! There are random previews and little tidbits about me and such. **

**So, I've decided to take a week off from writing. I'm a bit burned out. I've been really cranking them out lately so I need to slow down a bit. I promise that the next chapter will be out on Monday if you guys are really good and give me lots of reviews though, okay? **

**I adore this Edward. He's so much more loving and relaxed in a way. So, who wants to be woken up by Eddie this way?**


	13. Funeral

**Funeral**

"You look amazing, love," I said, almost feeling breathless as I did so, my chest constricting at the sight of her beauty. It was almost overwhelming and the urge to run her back upstairs and keep her there forever was hard to ignore. The black crushed velvet made her skin appear even more milky somehow, the light dancing of her skin perfectly. It was almost as lovely as that certain shade of blue on her. Her makeup was light thankfully, but her lips were a deep fire red, tempting me with their sugary sweet plumpness. With each step her thick, couple inch, heels clacked against the wood of the stairs, going almost in time with her beating heart.

"Thank you," she blushed furiously, walking slowly beside Alice as she went to join her husband in the woods. She didn't need to hunt really but she wanted to try to find Victoria while he did so. Her power had given her troubles lately and it was starting to piss her off, along with making her rather antsy. She was starting to fear also that she was losing it as well, like she used it all up too fast or had abused her power. Like she got a set number of visions in her lifetime or something along those lines. Alice knew better, of course, in her head, but it still troubled her greatly. I hoped it would pass soon, for everyone's sake. Her gift was very important to our family.

"Thank you," I mumbled quietly to Alice. She just nodded her head, giving me a sweet smile as she did so. I don't think Bella even heard me.

"See you guys later," Alice waved over her shoulder as she pranced out of the door, shutting it gently.

"It's a shame that someone has to die for you to wear a dress," I commented offhandedly, my eyes never leaving her body as I did. I don't think I could have peeled them away at that moment if I had tried.

"Edward, that's not funny," Bella scolded me very seriously, a slight frown coming to her perfect lips. I lowered my head to hide my wry smile, feeling slightly embarrassed. She was right of course but for some reason I couldn't stop the comment from coming out of my mouth. Sometimes I was just as bad as Emmett at having zero brain to mouth filter.

"I apologize, you're very right. That was rather insensitive of me," I agreed.

"Just behave around them, please? Lets not test the bounds of their friendship just yet. I don't think it would be wise, do you?"

Sometimes Bella's maturity amazed me.

I nodded my head slowly. Once again, she was right of course. I was finding her right more and more often lately. "I won't be bothering them anyway. I'll be waiting in the car," I reminded her quietly.

Bella sighed and I could tell she was considering arguing with me but decided not to for some reason. Whatever the reason was, I was glad for this because I wouldn't have changed my mind on the matter anyway. I didn't want her to be disappointed. Besides certain things just wouldn't ever change. I wouldn't and couldn't stop protecting her or loving her at all times. Bella would have to learn that very soon. Perhaps I would have to reminder her very soon.

I hadn't realized that we had been standing there looking at each other silently for several long moments until Bella bit her lip into her mouth, her eyes darting downwards towards her shoes with a deep red glow coming to her cheeks. I took a step forward, closing the distance between us with an uplifted hand. "I truly am sorry for my rude comment. Sometimes my ideas of and thoughts on death are rather skewed. Forgive me, please?"

Her palm settled in my own, looking at me through her thick brown eyelashes. "Of course, just behave, okay?"

"Always," I smiled.

"I don't believe that for a second," she muttered as she began to walk towards the door. I laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, draping it across casually.

"I do try to behave sometimes," I said innocently.

"Sometimes, right."

The ride to the church was silent, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I was worried about Bella but truthfully, I wasn't sure what she was thinking about. I considered asking her but I knew if she wanted to talk about it at the moment, she would have said something.

When we arrived most of the parking lot was already full, not to my surprise. There were a lot of people, young and old, scattered out among the landscape, going in and out of the church at random. Though it was overcast now the, rain had stopped for the day. I pulled into a parking space up towards the front and killed the engine.

"The food," Bella said suddenly, like she had forgotten something. I hitched my thumb over my shoulder into the backseat, giving her a crooked grin.

"Taken care of."

"Oh, thank you. I totally zoned out on that." With that, Bella stepped out of the Volvo and opened the back door. I could see in her eyes she was trying to figure out the best way to carry everything but it was all just too much. I quickly got out of the car and opened the backseat, grabbing up the food.

"Let me carry it in for you," I offered.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Bella asked, looking rather worried.

"I'm not going to stay, Bella. I'm just going to help you bring the food in and then I'll go back to the car and wait for you. Take as long as you want. I know Charlie needs you right now, okay?" I reassured her with a smile. I nodded my head towards the front. "Come on, lets get you in there."

"Okay," Bella said as she shut the door, coming around the front to walk beside me. With each step her heart rate got faster and faster.

"Are you okay?" I whispered as we got closer to the entrance.

"Just..." she paused, trailing off. "Worried, I suppose? I don't know. Sad. It's all so sad."

I nodded and then took a deep breath. When we entered the room there was a sharp mental intake of breath as they took in my appearance. Some of the tribe didn't believe the legends. Others knew the truth. And the wolves were... angry? No, that wasn't the right word for most of them. Annoyed.

Jacob was both.

Bella headed towards Charlie who was standing with Seth and his sister Leah who was hanging around the food table. The smell of death in the place clogged up my nose even if his body wasn't even in this room. I always hated the smell of death.

"Um, where can we put these?" Bella asked as she stepped into Charlie's line of sight. His eyes instantly got huge.

"Uh, just find a place on the table. Edward," he said in way of greeting. He was angry. Very angry and very annoyed as well.

"Chief Swan," I nodded my head and turned my attention to Seth. "I am sorry for your lose. I heard many good things about your father. He was a good man and I know he will be missed," I said sincerely. Seth gave me a small crooked smile and nodded his head. He didn't think I was saying that to pacify him or lying. His sister was just pissed and something else... Sick? She opened her mouth to say something but turned an awful shade of green. I could smell the vomit coming up her throat, burning her esophagus. She darted off towards the bathroom, her face covered in a small layer of sweat. Bella looked over towards me for information but I just shrugged.

Sue Clearwater came over then, placing a hand on her son's shoulder protectively as she looked over at me. "Is everything okay here?"

"I think Leah might be suffering from upset stomach," I commented. "Hard times like these can be rough on the stomach. Bella, it may be a good idea if you run and give her a Sprite or Ginger ale?" I offered. Leaning over, I took Sue's hand and looked directly into her eyes. She was utterly shocked. "I am so sorry for your lose. Please know that me and my family send their sincerest condolences in this tough time. If there is anything we can do for you, please let us know. "

I think everyone in that circle was shocked that I said that. "Okay," Sue finally breathed, her mind blank.

"I'll see you in a little while," I whispered to Bella, lightly pressing a kiss to her temple. "Nice to see you again, Chief Swan."

"Yeah," he mumbled as he watched me walk towards the door. Every single Quilette's mind was focused on me at that moment, most of them confused.

I was almost to the car when I heard his thoughts, angry, annoyed and confused. "What the hell are you doing here?" Jake hissed at me.

"I dropped Bella off and helped her carry the food," I said as I turned around, leaning against the door with my hands in my pockets. "Is there a problem with that?"

"You have no business being here!" He shouted at me.

"I agree, that's why I didn't stay by her side."

This threw him for a minute, not sure what to say after that. He cleared his throat. "Well, yeah, you can leave now in your fancy piece of-"

"Just because I'm not by her side in there does not mean I'm leaving this parking lot. I'm going to protect Bella," I assured him in a low voice.

"I can do that," he said as he loosened his tie, pulling it out of the knot that was snug around his too thick neck.

"You're busy right now. And, I'm not leaving," I growled. "Now, why don't you go back in there and help your friends? I'm sure they need you right now."

"What do you know about my friends, huh? Let me tell you something," Jacob said, taking a step forward and lowering his voice. "Leah is showing signs of the change. She doesn't even know it yet. She's going to be one of us because of you so don't you say a damn word about my friends."

I sighed, lowering my face. "Look, I didn't want you to be this way. I have no control over that."

"Yeah, you do. You can leave."

"I attend to when we kill Victoria," I growled back, lowering my voice just as an elderly white woman walked by. She stuck out like a sore thumb around all the people with a deep dark tan, except for me anyway. She didn't hear anything so I continued. "This problem is bigger than just me or you. We need to work together to stop it before something really bad happens."

"Is that a threat?" Jacob growled.

"It could be if you don't shut up and play nice, you dog," I said, losing my temper. I opened my mouth to say more but just then Billy rolled out and waved at Jacob, wanting him to come inside. He could see our argument through the windows and wanted to keep Jacob from changing in the middle of the church yard. That would be bad for everyone around. "Daddy's calling you," I mumbled.

"Fuck off, Cullen," he groaned, walking backwards a few steps like I'd attack him before whirling around to head for the church in a jog. Just as he reached the doors he looked back. _I'll show you, bastard. _

As soon as his eyes set on Bella, he walked towards her thinking only one thing. He was thinking about pissing me off and he was going to use Bella to do it. I knew this wasn't going to be good but I certainly just couldn't barge in there and make a fool of myself and make a scene with Bella. It was too dangerous to piss off a room full of wolves. A lot of people could be hurt or even killed in that happened. I took a deep breath and listened to all the thoughts around Bella. Emily, Sam's girlfriend, was standing right across from Bella, speaking to her and I could see the whole scene unveil through her eyes.

"Hi Bella," Jacob said all too brightly, a strange smile on his face. Even Emily was wondering what he was up to. Bella's eyes narrowed on him and confusion danced in her pretty brown orbs.

"Hi," she said back quietly and looked over at Charlie. Charlie hadn't heard about their now strained relationship.

"So, I was wondering when you were coming back over to go riding with me," Jake began offhandedly. Bella's eyes went huge and she glanced over at Charlie, who's eyes narrowed this time.

"What kind of riding, Bella?" Her father asked.

"Oh, Bells didn't tell you? Motorcycles. I fixed them up nice, didn't I, Bells?" He said brightly, saying her name too many times.

"Jacob, what are you doing?" Bella growled at him, turning to face him.

"You've been riding motorcycles, Bella?!" Charlie all but shouted.

"Dad, let me explain," she began in a sigh.

"Oh, he didn't know! I had no idea," Jacob said with a falseness, his voice sugary sweet.

"Are you out of your mind?" Charlie whisper yelled at Bella.

"I bought two bikes for Jacob to fix up," Bella admitted to her father but didn't explain anything else. "They were just going to be trashed. That's what me and Jake have been working on. You wanted me to have a friend, this is what we did," she said in annoyance.

Poor Emily was just in the middle, not sure what to do. She wanted to excuse herself but she wasn't sure it was a good idea. Someone needed to keep an eye on Jacob before he did something too stupid. She knew what was going on and she hated that Jacob was getting back at Bella like this. It was just cruel.

"You know what I would never-" Charlie began but Sam came over when he saw the uncomfortable look on Emily's face.

"Is everything okay over here?" He asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. I could feel the warm feeling that she got when he touched her. It was embarrassing to step into that kind of space but I couldn't leave her head just yet.

"I'm sorry, I was just leaving," Bella said, walking away from the group.

"Where do you think you're going?" Charlie sneered at her. "We are not done talking about this!"

"No, we're not. But I can't stay here any longer. Bye Charlie," Bella said as she walked towards the door. Jacob tried to grab her arm but she ripped it away from him and turned. "Don't you dare touch me. If you were a real friend you would act this way. You're jealous and you're cruel and I don't want to be friends with you anymore, Jacob Black. Grow up and get a life!" Bella stomped.

"Did you just stomp your foot?" Jacob laughed, a stupid smile on his face. He touched her shoulder again and I grimaced back at the hate I saw in Bella's eyes towards him. She backed up quickly and almost bolted towards the door. When she came back out I was waiting for her with open arms.

"He's a horrible jerk," Bella mumbled against my chest.

"I know love, I'm so sorry. I wish I could have done something," I whispered into her hair, not sure what to say besides that. I breathed in deeply, closing my eyes tightly as her hands fisted tightly in my shirt.

"Bella," Jacob called after us. Bella began to sob into my shirt before taking a deep breath and turning.

"Go. Away!" She shouted at him. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I was just-"

"Just what?" She interrupted him. "Trying to make my life just a little bit harder? What? Someone trying to kill me not enough for you but you also want my father to disown me? Is that what you want?"

"No, of course not!" He defended himself. There was no way he could do that.

"Then why? Why did you do that?" She begged for him to tell her, her voice almost desperately heartbreaking.

I scoffed when I realized the reason. Bella turned to look at me, her forehead scrunched in concentration. "What?" She asked me.

"He wanted to get you grounded. He was hoping he would keep you away from me. He was trying to get back at me," I explained, looking directly at Jacob who squared his shoulders as I spoke, as if he was preparing for a hit.

"You, what?" Bella turned on him, taking a stomping step forward. "Did you really think that would work, Jacob?"

"I..I..I-" the teenager stuttered stupidly. Of course he hadn't thought out his actions. "Bella, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Damn right you weren't. Nothing is going to keep me away from Edward now. Let me remind you, even though you may not believe it, I am eighteen and I'm an adult now. I can do whatever the hell I want. If I want to ride a motorcycle, I will. If I want to run away with Edward tonight, I will. Not you, not the tribe, and not Charlie will be able to stop me. So, once again Jacob, grow the hell up. You may look like a man but you certainly don't act like one," Bella spit the words out at him with such venom that even I felt like taking a step back. Instead, I put a calming hand on her shoulder. Lightly, I pressed a kiss to her temple as Jacob looked down and away.

"Come on love," I whispered into her hair. "Lets go. We've got a bed to shop for."

Jacob's head snapped up so fast that I'm surprised it didn't pop off. Bella nodded her head and walked with me, an arm around her waist, to her door. I opened it for her, allowing her to sink in surprisingly gracefully. I turned to look at Jacob just as I opened my own door. "Go. Go deal with the mess you've created but leave Bella alone."

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**This is the first time I've made Jacob a bit of a jackass. I mean, he was kind of a jerk in To love and to protect but he wasn't the bad guy. He's not really the bad guy in this either, he's just a punk. **

**This week is going to be hectic but I'm hoping to update again on Saturday. This week we have a doctor's appointment, a graduation (Congrats Jess, whenever you end up reading this) and a party at my place. So, I'll be busy cleaning mostly until then, and then cooking. **

**Oh, by the way... I'm really close to getting over a 1,000 reviews. Will you guys help me out? You're already so awesome.**

**How well do you think Edward handled the funeral? Did he do the right thing?**


	14. Mattress

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**Thanks for the fantastic reviews!**

**Mattress**

I took Bella's hand quietly while we drove up to Port Angles after the little scene that just played out, not really sure what to say or do truthfully. I felt sort of helpless. In a way, I caused it but in another way- I didn't, I suppose. I felt guilty though. I let out a soft sigh and glanced from the corner of my eyes at Bella. She sat totally unmoving. If I couldn't see her eyes open I would have thought she was asleep.

"I'm sorry," I finally said, about ten minutes from town. Bella's eyes were staring blankly out the window, her heart beat slow still.

"For?" She asked in a somewhat numb voice. I hadn't heard her this way before, not with me anyway. Bella was this way when I left, but I had never been at the receiving end. She just seemed so lost at the moment, lost in herself and in her thoughts. The helplessness increased inside of me.

"For all the trouble I've caused. For Jacob's behavior. For everything, I suppose," I said with a soft sigh, pulling my hand away from hers and placing it onto the wheel. Her fingers just fell onto her lap, settling on her thigh. I felt my fingers tighten automatically, feeling completely angry with myself.

"Edward, you didn't ask Jacob to act like a child. You didn't tell him to go to my father and tell him about the bikes. You're not the one that got them in the first place."

"I'm the reason you got them though," I replied honestly.

"You-" She stopped and shook her head, finally looking at me. "You are, but you didn't want me to, did you? No. This part of it is on me."

"You were doing it for the rush and to hear my voice. I should have destroyed the damn things," I muttered under my breath. I had thought about that a lot but she kept them at the reservation so I really didn't have a chance to. I would have been caught for sure, especially over the past couple of months. There was no amount of musk to cover up my scent so close to a wolf's home.

"Nice," she muttered before running her hand over the back of her neck and finally looking at me. "Edward, it's not your fault so please don't apologize for it, okay?"

"Alright," I sighed out, just not wanting to upset her. "But, you have to admit I didn't make it any better."

"You were there, that's all that matters right now," she said with a bite of her bottom lip. I could tell Bella was tired of talking about this as her eyes glanced back to the window. She was trying to think of a way to change the subject. "So, what kind of bed would you like to get?" She asked finally.

"Whatever you'd like," I told her truthfully to which she scoffed. "What?" I asked in response.

"It's your bed. It's going in your room," Bella replied with a roll of her eyes.

"No, it's our bed going into my room- for now. The only time I want to be in it anyway is when you're there. Bella, truly, I just want you to get whatever you want. The mattress at least, get it the way you like. It makes no difference to me in the least. I'm comfortable practically anywhere."

She let out a little huff that I didn't understand, "we'll get a headboard we'll both like. We'll pick it out together, okay?"

Bella looked over at me with a tiny smile, "okay."

"The mattress is all yours though. I'm serious about that. I have no idea what to get," I told her with a laugh. "I haven't had a bed in almost a ninety years. They've changed since then."

"You haven't had a bed since you were a human?" She asked with a slight confused expression.

"No," I told her truthfully. "I didn't see the point since I didn't want to share it with anyone. But, like I said... things change."

Her heartbeat increased slightly as Bella nibbled her bottom lip, a slow smile creeping across her lips as a blush grew on her cheeks. I had to suppress a moan when I looked at her. She didn't know how pretty she really was. "I like that," she finally said.

"Like what?"

"Like that you want to share your bed with me and only me," she said in a very feminine voice. It was almost unlike her but I wasn't complaining. I quite liked it actually. "And I'm glad that you're the only one that has ever been in mine."

I smiled at that, pulling in front of some boutique furniture store that Esme liked a lot. She had actually suggested the place after Alice told her that we were getting a bed. Truthfully, I didn't know where to go. I always had the women of the house for these sort of things. It was the first time really since Esme had joined the family that I was buying myself a major piece of furniture.

Switching off the engine, I turned to look at Bella. "I like that a lot as well. I love it, as a matter of fact," I said with an almost dopey grin. It was stupid really, to feel this way but it was like I couldn't stop myself. Bella giggled and my smile grew as I leaned in, lightly pressing my lips against hers.

It took less than a second for the kiss to become more passionate, my fingers in her hair as her hands settled on the side of my face to pull me in closer. I couldn't get close enough for my taste. I wanted her on top of me while kissing me like this.

That would be something we'd have to try on our new bed.

That thought made me have a very instant reaction with a flash of wonderful mental images. _Bella on top of me without any clothing with her hair falling over her face as she leaned down to kiss me. Sliding on top of me with a soft moan, my hands resting on her- _

I really had to break this up before I did some very ungentlemanly things to her in the backseat of the Volvo. But, from the smell that filled the chair I kind of doubted Bella would have minded. She was almost desperate, touching and kissing me passionately and without any inhibitions at all.

"Love," I breathed as I pulled away slightly. She simply went to my neck and began to kiss there. That totally wasn't helping but it was hard to resist the lull that my head was doing to give her more room to play. It was doing it on it's on. I gave in for a moment, my hand on the back of her neck to guide her a little bit. "Love," I said after a second or two as she kissed my Adam's apple. I felt myself swallow reflexively, it bobbing against her lips as she did so again, her tongue flicking over my skin. "Bed shopping, remember?" I finally said. "We need to do that."

"No," she said as she kissed up my ear as I heard the sounds of her seatbelt coming undone. Bella all but crawled into my lap. "I'd rather do this."

"We're in public," I reminded her.

"Oh," she said in embarrassment, her face the shade of a tomato. I couldn't help but chuckle, it was so sweet. "Oh, shut up," she complained with a slight pout. "So I forgot, big deal."

"I made you forget where we are?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I felt my ego grow slightly. Personally, I didn't think I was that good of a kisser but she seemed to think differently and that was all that mattered in the end.

"Shut up," she playfully snapped as she got out of the car. I chuckled as I followed behind and offered her my hand. Slowly she took it. "So, anything you'd not want to get? I mean, any style you just hate?"

"Uh..." I thought for a minute and then offered her an innocent smile. Bella just rolled her eyes, smirking at my lack of knowledge in this field. "Sorry."

"You're no help at all," she complained. "I don't want you to get something you'll totally hate."

"Bella, I'm not worried about how it looks. I'm far more worried about who will be in it," I told her truthfully. Her heart rate tripled and I leaned down to kiss her again as we reached the sidewalk.

"Okay," she finally said. "So, lets go shopping."

The store was rather empty but it was the middle of the work afternoon so I wasn't surprised. The teenagers may have been out of school but this really wasn't a place they would go. It's not like any of them could afford this furniture on their own. We walked around inside, the shop owner who was in the back enjoying his lunch not noticing us yet. It was nice to just walk around like this. There was no one gawking at us, or flirting with either one of us. It made things a lot easier.

I saw a lot of things that I liked and even more that made me smirk in distaste. Some things were just so tacky. After about ten minutes of just strolling Bella stopped beside a bed, running her fingers over the foot board.

It was a big bed, king sized most likely, with a dark almost black cherry wood. It was a sleigh bed, the wood solid and thick. You could just make out the swirls of the nature wood underneath the glaze. "I like this a lot," I told her truthfully. "It's beautiful."

"Me, too," she breathed as she came to sit down on it. Bella crossed her ankles in a very lady like way and leaned back on her hands as she nibbled on her bottom lip. Gazing up at me underneath her fluttering eyelashes, I lost myself for a moment in her gaze. "Come sit with me."

I nodded, but instead of sitting down I hovered over her and leaned down slightly. I inched my face closer to hers, laying my hands down on either side of hers as I came in for a kiss. One second we were apart and the next I was practically on top of her with her hands buried in the back pockets of my jeans.

I was turning into a horny teenage boy with zero control.

"We'll take this bed," I said as I pulled away from Bella, gasping for air. It wasn't because I was breathless but because I was trying to control myself. I wanted to throw her back and take her right now. It wouldn't be making love either. It would be a very primal... _taking_.

"Sounds good to me," Bella answered as she flopped down completely on the bed with her arms sprawled out above her. "I like this mattress too. It's comfortable."

"Wow," I laughed. "That was easier than I thought it would be."

"Well," Bella began as she sat up, her hair a little frazzled. "Like you said, I'm not worried about how the bed looks but who's in it. We both like it, so it works. No need to make it any more complicated."

Just then the owner realized we were out here as he heard our voices. I smiled and offered my hand to Bella to help her to stand. She was by my side when the owner came into view. "Hi there. How can I help you today?"

"We'd like to purchase this bed and mattress set," I said, pulling out my wallet and handing him the black card that sat inside. He looked a little dumbfounded and his thoughts were flustered. He was worried that I had stolen this card so I decided to play this a certain way. "My mother recommended this place to us. I see why she says it has the most beautiful furniture in Washington State."

"Oh?" He said, flushing with pride. "Who's your mother if you don't mind me asking? I might know her."

"Esme Cullen," I said softly, wrapping a arm around Bella as we followed the man as he walked absently upfront. That name automatically made him relax.

"Mrs. Cullen, of course! We've done business with her for years. How is your mother?" He questioned as he began to type into the computer.

"She's well. Very well. Oh, is there anyway you can have that delivered by the end of the week?" I asked and I saw him fluster a bit in his head again. "I'm not worried about the cost in the least. It's just the sooner, the better."

"I can have it to your house tomorrow but it's going to cost you-" he began but I raised a hand up.

"I'm not worried about the cost," I repeated.

"Of course, sir," he nodded excitedly. "So," he began in a conversational tone but he was only thinking about money. "Are you and your wife only getting a new bed? You know, we have a whole set to match that for the bedroom."

I felt Bella stiffen beside me and I looked over with her with a smile. My wife, I liked that. I liked that a lot as a matter of fact.

"Just the bed for now," I said, not correcting him with my eyes still on Bella. "Maybe more later."

He cleared his throat and handed me my credit card back. "What address should I send this to, sir?"

I gave him the address and with a promise of it being delivered by four tomorrow, Bella and I left the store hand in hand afterwards. Bella beside me was quiet, well in a matter of speaking. She wasn't saying a word but her heart was hammering away. I could hear it thumping away in my ears.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I opened her door for her. She leaned back against the opening, her eyes gazing up at me with a quiet questioning.

"He called me your wife," she said quietly.

"I know," I replied, unable to keep the smile from my voice. She looked up at me with surprise. "Bella, you have to know that I never want to be away from you again. Ever. Does the idea of marriage seem all that far fetched when I want to spend the rest of eternity with you by my side?"

She shook her head with a blush. "No, it doesn't seem far fetched at all," Bella said with her voice no more than a whisper. "You want that?"

"Yes," I answered truthfully. We needed to talk about this anyway. I knew how Bella felt about marriage and I knew it would be an uphill battle to get her to agree to it one day in the future. It didn't have to be right now, of course but I would like it to be sooner than later. But, I was happy to have Bella in my life in any way I could. Truthfully it didn't matter in the end.

"Okay," she said.

"Okay, what?" I asked in confusion, my eyebrows knitting together.

"Okay... lets get married."

_Huh?_ My brain screamed as I blinked slowly. "Really? I mean, Bella, I wasn't asking. I mean, I'm not _not_ asking. I want to make it romantic for you. I didn't want you to think that I wouldn't get down on one knee and do this properly. I don't want you think that you have to rush to marry me because some old man called you my-" I rambled on and on until Bella giggled, a large smile breaking across my face. "You just agreed to marry me?" I finally asked, not knowing what else to say. Besides, I wanted to confirm it.

"Yes, I did," she smiled at me.

"And I'm rambling like an idiot instead of kissing you?" I asked, mainly myself.

"Yup," she popped the word with her perfectly plump lips.

"Oh, god," I finally laughed and grabbed her up in my arms, kissing her furiously. Twirling her around, I felt so free.

There was no wolves, no Victoria, no Charlie, no Jacob and no problems. I had her. She had me. And that was all that mattered.

"I need to get you a ring!" I finally said as I pulled away maybe five minutes later, but she frowned. I couldn't understand why until she spoke.

"No rings," Bella said with a whine.

"Why not?" I frowned right back, putting her down to her feet.

"Don't you think people might notice a giant rock on my hand?" She asked, placing her right hand on her hip and the other out like to demonstrate her point.

"You think it's going to be giant?" I asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"Edward," she said and put her left hand on her hip. "It's you. Of course it'll be huge and over the top. I know you too well to expect anything else."

"I'm not that bad," I complained but she shot me a look that told me to tell the truth. "Most of the time."

"Exactly, most of the time. I have a feeling this is going to be one of those times where you are. Look, I want to get married. I want to be with you for the rest of time. But, no ring. Not right now, okay?" She asked. I sighed and nodded my head, giving into her wants. Ring or not, I knew she was mine. "Thank you."

"Of course, my love," as I kissed her hand. She nibbled her bottom lip, smiling at me.

"So," she pressed on. I could tell she was ready to change the subject again, at least for right now. I gave her a dopey grin again, waiting for her to speak. "We have a mattress and we have a frame. What about linens?"

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**I bet you didn't see that coming, did you? **

**On twitter if you want to follow- Jayeliwood! And I also have a website. It's my homepage on my profile. Check it out.**

**Just to let everyone know, I've expanded my one shot- Computer Repair- into a full story. Go check it out. It's totally out of character and totally fun geeky hotness. I mean, come on! Karate Edward. How often do you see him?**

**So, was bed shopping what you thought it would be? Did you like the surprises thrown in?**


	15. Paper Plates

**Thank you for the fantastical reviews! Really they're awesome! I'm glad you guys are enjoying this movie as much as I do. **

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**Paper plates**

After Bella had a quick lunch that truthfully I didn't approve of very much, we went to the local department store and picked out a few different sheet sets, blankets, pillows and everything else you could possibly think of for a bed. Bella only wanted to get one set of sheets and blankets but I convinced her that otherwise might be a good idea. We wouldn't be sure how many times we'd have to change our sheets or how often they'd become dirty.

It took her a moment to realize what I was talking about but once she figured it out she blanched then turned a bright shade of red. She agreed with a heavy nod, her lips pursed together in embarrassment. I couldn't help but laugh and press a kiss to her forehead.

Truthfully, we bought more than we needed, but I didn't care. I shoved it into the trunk and the backseat so we could head back into town. It was just after six and the meeting would be soon. I'm sure Bella would want to get more comfortable before hand.

Beside, she probably wanted to steel herself for the appearance of Jacob. I knew she didn't want to see him again. Not so soon after their last fight anyway. That was a wound that would take time to heal.

Bella laid her hand on my thigh, absently brushing her fingers up and down my slacks with her eyes closed and her head against the rest. He breathing was slow and steady, the air flowing through her nose with her lips slightly spread.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked.

"A lot of things," she said vaguely with her eyes still closed. I rolled my eyes. She knew how I hated her to keep things from me, even if she didn't really mean to. I always wanted to know what was on her mind and she knew that.

"Like what?" I pressed, my eyes set on the road. It was just starting to get dark, the sun going down in the west.

She sighed heavily and opened her eyes, her lashes brushing against her cheeks as she blinked slowly. "Marriage. School. The change. The bed. The meeting."

"What about the meeting?" I asked to begin with. We could get to the other subjects in a few minutes. That would be the thing that was happening the soonest anyway.

"How it's going to go. I'm not exactly sure what you guys are going to discuss," she said, glancing over at me.

"Routes we're going to travel. Who's going to travel with who. When we will do it. Things like that," I explained. "You know you really don't need to be here if you don't want to be," I offered.

"I want to be," she corrected me. "This is about me."

"This is about the safety of the entirety of Washington State. They won't all be there," I said in reply. Bella scoffed at my response.

"You know what I mean," she muttered quietly. "Edward, I'm going to be there and there is nothing you can do to possibly change my mind so stop trying. Accept it and move on, okay?"

"Okay," I answered, looking at her from the corner of my eyes. I knew how she hated it when I didn't watch the road. "What are you thinking about marriage?"

"I'm... scared," she said slowly but then added quickly. "But, excited. I want to be with you like this. I just wonder if I'm too young."

"You're the oldest teenager I've ever met," I teased. "Well, almost the oldest."

Bella smiled at my bad joke. "Be that as it may, I'm not sure if-" she stopped and shook her head. "I'm not sure what I'm not sure of. I guess I shouldn't worry about how it looks and all that, but I do."

"Don't be bothered about what all those silly little children say. I wouldn't doubt we aren't the only ones who will get married right after high school."

"I'm not exactly worried about the kids at school," Bella sighed quietly before looking at me with a hard gaze. "I'm more worried about Renee. And, I'm worried about Charlie."

"Ah," I said, bringing us to the next subject at hand. "What are you going to do about Charlie?" I asked. "I mean, in general."

"Truthfully, I don't know," Bella said as she turned her eyes back to the road so I did the same, my fingers tight around the wheel. "I guess to begin with I'm going to talk to him about the bikes. It's something we'll have to discuss, in length."

"You mean argue about it for a very long time when you get home?" I offered instead with a smirk.

"Something like that, yes. But, truthfully... I'm of age, even if he doesn't like it. I'm old enough to have the bikes and I was over eighteen when I bought them. There isn't really much he can do about that. If he wants to 'ground' me," she said, curling her fingers into quotes, "then I'll tell him that I have other places I can live where I will be treated like an adult."

"He'll say that if you have a motorcycle then you're not an adult," I said, already knowing Charlie's thoughts on the matter.

"That's what he can say, but it doesn't change anything. It's my body that I'm putting in danger and if I want to then that's up to me, now isn't it?" She said in a matter of fact voice. I knew instantly that just wasn't for Charlie's ears but my own. I sighed and nodded.

"Of course, but it doesn't mean that the men in your life have to like it," I said, my fingers tightening slightly. I relaxed slightly when I heard the plastic pop quietly. I didn't want to break the steering wheel. Rosalie would kick my ass if I did.

"True, but they've done things I don't like either. That's life. You have to let people make their own mistakes."

"I know," I sighed, looking over at her as we pulled into the long driveway to my home. The wolves were already starting to scout the place out. He didn't trust us, of course. They were worried it was a trick. Jacob was still seething. Billy had given him a piece of his mind along with Charlie. "We've all make mistakes. That's how we grow."

"Exactly," she said as her eyes settled on me as I put the car into the garage. "Thank you for understanding that. I hope Charlie does as well."

"Well, if he doesn't then you always have a place to stay now that we have a bed," I smiled at her suggestively and she instantly brightened.

"Oh, I do, do I?" She giggled, unbuckling her seat belt and wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Yes, you do, my lovely little bride."

I heard a loud howling just before Bella kissed me. I heard it a second before she did and I frowned as she pulled away, a sad look on her face. I could hear the angry thoughts of Jacob as he ran off into the woods. "We're not alone, are we?"

"Are we ever?" I asked her with a raised eyebrow. She sighed and shook her head. "Come on. Lets get you inside."

"Okay," she said as she stepped out of the car, annoyed it would seem. She reached into the backseat to get a bag or two but stopped when she saw the glare I was giving her.

"I'll get that. Don't worry about it," I told her firmly. "What's the use of having a nice strong boyfriend if you're not going to have him do the heavy lifting?" I said, trying to lighten the mood slightly. Bella simply smirked at me.

"Fiancé, actually," she corrected, grabbing the bag with the sheets in it. Swaying her hips, Bella walked to the house all while I gaped at her happily.

"I like that," I said as I grabbed several things until my hands were completely full. "That's much better than boyfriend," I said in agreement.

I saw Alice standing on the porch, clapping her hands together and squealing happily. "You're getting married?!"

"Have a vision, did we?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and tossed her one of the linen sets. She caught it easily but her face was not happy.

"No, I didn't. I just heard you just now. What happened? When did it happen? Was he romantic about it?" Alice asked Bella in rapid succession.

In answer Bella just rolled her eyes. "It wasn't exactly like that."

"What did you do?" Alice narrowed her eyes on me like I had just killed someone. Like I had committed some horrible crime or something.

"Alice, we just talked about it and I agreed. It's not like he had a ring or anything. I don't even think he meant to be asking me," Bella corrected her as she walked to the house. With a hard smack, Alice popped the back of my head.

"Hey!" I shouted. "What was that for!?" I demanded loudly.

"For not being a real man about it. Hell, even Jasper got down on one knee and I knew from the very beginning that we were going to get married."

"Thanks, honey," I heard Jasper mutter sarcastically from somewhere in the house.

"You know what I mean," she said dismissively with a wave of her tiny hand. "Edward, I figured you of all people would do this the right way."

"The right way?" Bella laughed, putting her foot on the step as she looked over her shoulder. "There is no right way or wrong way."

"Trust me, there can be a wrong way," Alice complained.

"It's the right way as long as I'm happy," Bella argued with her, taking a few more steps with me following behind her. I felt like sticking my tongue out at my sister.

"Where's the ring then, hm?" Alice asked, putting the bag down and balling up her fist at her hips.

"I haven't picked one out yet. I'd like to wait until the end of school at least before anything goes on my finger, Alice. Trust me, this is what I want."

Alice huffed, puffing out her cheeks with her lips in a pretty little pout. "That's no fun," she complained.

"It's not fun. It's marriage," Bella said very seriously. I instantly frowned until I saw her look over her shoulder at me. _Wicked..._

"That's not funny," I complained.

"Yes, it is," she giggled, running up the stairs with her heels clacking loudly.

I ran past her and threw the things down at the landing just in time to catch her in my arms. She laughed loudly, throwing her head back as I growled at her playfully. "It's not nice to tease me," I complained again.

"Maybe, but it's fun," she giggled before she kissed my nose. "Now put me down. I want to get out of this dress," she ordered.

With a final kiss I placed her down to her feet and allowed her to go into the bedroom without me. After I set the bedding outside my door I went downstairs to see what my family was doing. Esme and Carlisle weren't around yet, out doing some hunting of their own. Jasper and Alice were in the living room, cuddling silently while Rosalie and Emmett were arguing loudly in the garage. Rosalie didn't want to go to the meeting and wanted no part of it. Emmett told her she didn't have a choice really.

Truthfully, she did. Either shut up and help or leave. There was no in between. In my opinion it was time for Rosalie and Emmett to have another 'honeymoon.' She was starting to get hard to handle. Even Carlisle was starting to think so and he was the most patient man I knew.

"Hello there," I said as sat down on one of the comfortable arm chairs across from the couch. Jasper raised an eyebrow at me. "What?" I asked.

"You're awfully happy for a man who's about to deal with a bunch of mangy canines," he smirked, glancing over at Alice who was still annoyed with me.

"Well, as your wife surely informed you, I have reasons to be happy."

"You didn't get down on one knee!" She complained with a pout. "That's not right."

"I didn't mean to ask, truthfully. The gentlemen at the furniture store assumed she was my wife and we began to discuss it and she said 'okay' and that she'd marry me."

"How romantic," Jasper snorted. "Well, as long as you're both happy."

"I'm not happy about it," Alice interjected.

"Yes, dear, but this isn't about you," Jasper kissed her on the neck. I looked away, not wanting to see their affection. "If this is what makes Bella happy, let her be and leave Edward be as well. I'm sure this isn't the end of it if I know him any. So, let them do it their way. They've gone through so much and they don't need your meddling right now, even if it is out of love for your future sister and brother." He could feel the thankfulness pouring out of me. _Your welcome_, he added in his head.

"Oh, alright," Alice sighed in acceptance.

"Thank you," I said to Alice as Bella came down the stairs. Now she was wearing a dark blue sweater that the neck all the way to her ears, practically. Her jeans were tight around her waist and hugged her legs, covering the tops of her sock covered feet. Her hair was brushed into a neat ponytail, flopping with every movement. "Hello there," I said with a smile, opening my arms up to her. She came bounding towards me, practically falling into my lap with a plop.

"Hi," she giggled.

Jasper made a little gagging noise and I wondered if he was making fun of us until I realized that a load of venom clogged his throat. He swallowed hard, putting a lot of attention on his wife. "Successful shopping trip?" He offered in way of a conversation. Bella instantly blush.

"Very much so," she smiled at him. Jasper gave a small nervous smile in return.

"I'm going to do a round around the house before they arrive. It shouldn't be too long. I can sense them outside. They're nervous... scared, as well," he said.

"Alice, have you seen anything?" Bella asked, leaning back against my chest.

"Nothing at all," she sighed in answer. "Don't worry. You'll be safe though."

"I'm not worried," Bella assured her. "I have wonderful protectors. I'm just worried there will be an argument."

"There will be," Rosalie said as she stepped into the room. "I don't need any special powers to see that. We're cats and they're dogs. Of course we're going to fight."

"That's a bad metaphor," Alice complained. "There are many households that have both cat and dog pets."

"You know what I mean," Rosalie rolled her eyes and sat down on the window sill, her arms crossed angrily across her chest.

"Regardless, I plan on behaving, as are the rest of us. Aren't we, Rose?" I asked though it wasn't a question. It was a threat and she knew it.

"Of course, Edward," she said in a sarcastically sweet voice. "I wouldn't dream of misbehaving."

Emmett sighed as he came into the room, sitting against the wall. "Carlisle just called. They'll be back in a few minutes. Nothing new to report."

We sat in an uncomfortable silence, Rosalie randomly clicking her tongue in annoyance while she fiddled with her nails. Her thoughts of course were on her self. Emmett was thinking about her as well, but it was closer to smacking her than loving her. Jasper was wondering what wolf's blood tasted like and I quickly wondered out of his mind. Alice was wondering what the new bed looked like. She was also wondering if it was sturdy enough. She frowned when she saw my expression, 'sorry' echoing in her head. Bella laid her head on my shoulder, pulling at a string at the end of her sleeve.

Not five minutes later Carlisle came inside with Esme by his side. Dirt smudged his hands and cheeks while Esme had it on her pants. They thought they might have found a trail but it turned out to be old. There was a rotting corpse at the end of it, probably dead for weeks. The sight upset Esme greatly. Jasper sent her a wave of calm from outside when he felt her distress and she smiled gratefully.

"They'll be here within fifteen minutes," Carlisle began without any pleasantries. "We will meet in the dining room then. Rosalie, I think it would be best if you go to your room. We will find out what assignments you have and report them back to you."

"Excuse me?" She hissed, standing up. "I am not your child and you will not send me to my room."

"No, I can't, but this is my house and I can ask you to leave if I so wish. I don't want you to go to the meeting. We don't need any more hostility and it's obvious that you will not help with that. This is for the good of the family."

"For the good of the family would have been killing her to begin with," Rosalie growled at Carlisle as she stomped up the stairs. "Stupid fucking human."

Carlisle sighed and looked at Emmett sheepishly. "I do apologize. I mean no disrespect."

"I know, I understand. I know it's for the best as well." Emmett agreed as he stood up. "I'll talk to her later."

"Good luck at that," I muttered under my breath. Something crashed above us and it was obvious what room it came from. "Sorry," I said to Emmett with a sigh.

"It's fine," he breathed. "I just want to get this over with."

"I think everyone feels that way," Carlisle said. "Come, darling," he said to his wife. "Lets clean up before our guest arrive."

"Yes, that sounds nice. Alice, would you mind setting out those trays I made?" Esme asked, ever the gracious hostess. I didn't think any of the wolves would touch anything a vampire would make. Maybe if Bella ate first they would see it wasn't poisoned. "The drinks as well."

"Okay," Alice hopped up and Bella stood as well.

"Let me help you," Bella said, I think anxious to do something with her hands. I stood with her, deciding to help as well.

When we came into the dining room there was already paper and pens on the table, along with maps of the area. Jasper's handy work, no doubt. Ever the soldier. Ever organized. It would come in handy though so I couldn't really complain in the end.

We carried several trays of food to the side board in the dining room, along with a variety of sodas. Esme had made some sort of chicken wing covered in some sort of dark red sauce that smelled rather spicy and had dressing in the center of the tray. She also had meat, cheese, fruit, and vegetable trays made, along with a basket full of bread. I sighed when I realized there was chips as well.

"Does she plan on feeding an army?" I asked.

"Yes, she does," Bella smirked at me. "Trust me, I've seen them eat. There won't be enough here, if they do eat. I'll get a plate first. Don't worry," she said, already understanding. She was so much smarter than Rosalie gave her credit for.

Alice came out carrying an arm full of crystal plates and Bella instantly sent her a nasty look. "Do you think that's wise?"

She looked at the plates in her arms and instantly turned around. "Paper plates it is."

I snorted and sat down at the table, letting Alice take care of the rest of it. As Bella walked by I pulled her down to my lap and nuzzled her neck, kissing it over and over again softly, my hands massaging her stomach underneath the fabric. "Are you sure you don't want to skip out?"

"No, Edward," she assured me, pressing her lips to my forehead. "I'm sure."

There was several popping noises outside and then the crunching of grass in the front yard. Alice reappeared, placing the plates and some cups onto the sideboard. "They're here," she whispered ominously.

* * *

**I'm in a really good mood right now, even if I'm in serious pain now because of what made me so happy lol, so I decided to update this for you. The meeting is going to be next chapter. I wonder how you guys think it'll go. **

**On twitter! Jayeliwood and check out my homepage! It's on my profile. **

**Do you think Carlisle did the right thing with Rosalie?**


	16. Chicken Wing

**Thanks for the great reviews!**

* * *

**Chicken Wing**

Bella scooted to a chair beside me, holding my hand tightly as she nibbled on her bottom lip nervously. We listened as Carlisle opened the door.

"Welcome to my home," he said in a gracious voice. "Please, do come in."

"Thanks," Sam said a curt voice and I heard him clopping inside.

Esme came into the room, along with Emmett and Jasper, who were all looking completely nervous. It's not that I could blame them in the least. I was nervous as well. Bella gave me a reassuring squeeze, smiling at me sweetly as her heart hammered loudly in her chest.

"If you could follow me, we'd like to have the meeting in the dinning room," Carlisle said and walked in our direction.

"How appropriate," Paul muttered under his breath, only to get elbowed by someone else. I wasn't sure who. "Why in the world do you have a dinning room?" He asked and then huffed loudly as he got elbowed again. "What? It's a valid question."

"We like to keep up the appearance. Also, it's good for things like this," Carlisle explained patiently.

They came in a moment later and all the wolves look surprised to see Bella. Alice sat beside my future bride while Emmett and Jasper sat at either end, leaving two seats for Carlisle and Esme on the left side. The right side was left completely for the pack.

"Good evening, gentlemen," Esme smiled overly brightly in the way she did when she was nervous. "Feel free to sit anywhere. We have some snacks if you're hungry. Drinks as well. Please, make yourselves more comfortable."

"Like that's possible," Embry said. Sam flashed him a look. "Thanks," he said quickly and sat down with a thud on the antique wooden chair.

The wolves arranged themselves at the table, none of them opting for food of course. Esme sighed and sat down, giving me a week smile. "Shall we get down to business?" Sam offered, looking at the map on the table.

"Yes, of course," Carlisle agreed quietly. "Feel free to write anything down that you might need."

Sam nodded his head and picked up a pad and a pen, looking completely business like even though he was shirtless. The entire pack was shirtless, as a matter of fact. They didn't seemed bothered by the whole thing. I shifted uncomfortable in my chair, holding Bella's hand tightly. She looked over and gave me a reassuring smile.

"I thought perhaps the best way to start is with what information you may have on our target," Sam said in a military like way. I could instantly tell that Jasper liked him a little bit more.

"Basic facts are that Victoria and her mate came after Bella last year. Bella ran to Arizona, he followed, and we killed him. Victoria wants revenge. Mate for mate," Carlisle ran through.

"We know all this," Paul sighed.

"We also know that she has ties in Alaska, or did. We have family up there and we may ask them to come help in this. They are also vegetarians."

"Vegetarians?" Quil asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We eat only animals," Alice trilled quietly. I could tell by the look on her face that she had a major headache. I didn't even have to look in her mind for it. She instantly figured out why she had been having trouble with her visions.

_The werewolves._

Well, that made some sort of sense. If they were meant to hunt us they would have some defenses against our powers. I'm sure Alice's power wasn't that original in our kind, not really anyway.

"Right," he smirked, all but rolling his eyes.

"Lets try to take care of this in house, if possible," Sam interrupted. "Anything else we should know?"

"We believe we know what she might have planned," Jasper cut in. He didn't wait for anyone to ask. "She's building an army of newborns. They're faster, stronger, and blood thirsty but they have no control over their hunger. They're easy to kill, if needed."

_So, this is what Bella wants to be..._ Quil's mind sadly thought as he gave a sigh.

"We think she may be going up to Seattle. Does she have anything to do with the missing people?"

"We believe so," I cut in. "So, the sooner we take her out, the better."

"We all agree on that," Sam nodded his head quickly. "How would you like to do this? Any thoughts."

"A buddy system," Alice said simply. All the wolves looked at her stupid until she explained with a click of her tongue. "You can communicate with each other in wolf form, correct? Well, we can't do that without cell phones. We think the best route may be to have a vampire paired with a wolf at all times. If one of us finds her you can call the others and tell them the exact location."

"Makes sense," their leader agreed, looking down at the maps. "We don't exactly line up perfectly though."

"Someone will have to be with Bella at all times," I explained. "I will take that on mostly myself for obvious reasons but I understand that my power could come in useful so I will take my turns out on the field."

Bella's hand came over onto my thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze and a slight smile. I returned it and placed a kiss on her forehead. Every wolf in the room grimaced and tensed until I pulled away. A soft blush crawled across her cheeks deliciously and I had to shake myself out of my fog to get back at the subject at hand.

"How will we do the rest of it then?" Sam asked. "Shifts?"

"That would be the best way so no one gets too tired. Well, none of you get too tired. Also, we have to keep up certain appearances during the week. So, two twelve hour shifts? Two to three groups at a time?" Jasper offered into the conversation.

"Sounds fair. Who will go with who and when? What areas will they cover?" Sam asked in true leader fashion as if to figure out the kinks.

They dived straight into the conversation. I was having trouble concentrating on it though. I mean, I knew what they were saying, I just didn't care. Besides, Jasper and Carlisle were the best at this part anyway. I was too busy paying attention to Bella to really care about them.

She seemed interested in the whole thing, nibbling her lip at certain parts while nodding her head at others. It was adorable. I loved the way her ponytail bobbed with each movement, her heart rate increasing when she heard certain things.

About thirty minutes into the discussion Bella decided to stand up and get something to snack on. The guys had split up into two different groups and were talking about the terrain, Alice and Esme putting their two cents in occasionally. When Bella stood, all eyes were on her.

I could tell she was trying really hard to ignore it, the heat of it probably blazing against her back. It was certainly showing on her face. Bella picked up one of the plates and plied some of the chicken with a little bit of the white creamy dressing. Next she poured herself a glass of the soda and came back to the table.

"What?" She asked Quil who was staring at her with a curious expression on his face.

"Nothing, nothing at all," he shook his head quickly. _Hope they're not poisoned or something..._ He thought, truly worried about Bella.

Anxiously all the wolves watched her bring one of the wings up to her lips and take a bit. She instantly hummed in pleasure and then her eyes got wide. "Oh!"

"Are you alright?" Seth asked quickly, worried about her safety as well.

"Yeah, I'm fine. They're just really spicy!" Bella said with a mouthful of chicken, some of it smeared onto her lips. "How much hot sauce did you put on these things, Esme?" She asked.

Esme crinkled her nose in thought. "I was just following the recipe from the TV. Is it that bad?"

"No!" Bella said quickly, putting aside her fears. "Not at all. It's really good, it's just too hot for me. Hey, Seth," Bella began, putting the wing down onto the plate and scooting it closer to the center. "You like hot stuff, right? I hate to see stuff go to waste. Do you want it?"

Bella was brilliant.

"Uh..." he said, looking at the plate. Obviously it wasn't poisoned or Bella wouldn't have eaten it. If we were going to kill her it wouldn't be through way of food. And it's not like he could say he wasn't hungry. He was a teenage boy and a wolf. He was ALWAYS hungry. He looked at the plate for a second longer before shooting a quick glance at Sam. His leader simply shrugged. "Okay, sure."

Bella had a lovely smile on her face as she scooted the plate over to Seth. He picked up one nervously and sniffed it, then shrugged his shoulders himself. Bringing one of the wings to his mouth, he took a timid bite. "What do you think?" Bella asked with a smile.

"I think you're a wimp. These aren't hot at all," he rolled his eyes before taking another bite.

"We have some more hot sauce in the kitchen if you'd like some?" Esme offered with a sweet smile, already standing up to go get it.

"Yes, ma'am. Please?" He said with his youthful smile. It was obvious when he talked that he was the youngest of them.

"Would you like me to get you a drink?" Alice offered. Jasper didn't like his wife serving the wolves but he understood why she did it. Seth nodded, his mouth full of food. "Anyone else?"

All the guys said that they would and Bella smiled again, turning her attention towards me. In a cute way, she wiggled her eyebrows at me, her sauce covered fingers in the air. "Do you need a napkin?" I offered, smirking at the sauce on the corner of her mouth and smudged over her lips.

"Nope," she popped the word, bringing her hand over to me.

"You wouldn't," I playfully threatened.

"Oh, yes sir, I sure would."

We looked at each other for a long moment, holding each other's gaze. I raised an eyebrow in challenge and of course, that was my undoing. Bella leaned forward and dragged her finger over my lips, surely making them a bright red.

"That's a nice shade on you, Ed," Emmett snorted and Jasper laughed, shaking his head before turning back to his map. But even as they spoke, I didn't look away from Bella.

I could tell by the expression on her face she was trying so hard not to laugh. Finally, I rolled my tongue over my lips and smacked them. "That is... _revolting_," I said, gagging slightly as I stood. Bella threw her head back in laughter, looking at me wickedly. I went to the sideboard and picked up a napkin, wiping my face as I playfully tossed another at Bella. She caught it surprisingly easily, still giggling as she wiped her fingers.

I saw a couple of the guys smile, another amused. All of them seemed more relaxed though with the whole thing. Our little act sort of proved to them how we felt for each other. It proved how natural we were with one another. They could see the love in my eyes as I looked at her, the same reflecting in her deep chocolate brown pools.

The rest of the meeting passed rather quickly. No one brought up the lack of Jacob, not surprisingly. We all knew where he was. He was outside in the woods, brooding like a child. Bella smiled and laughed as the group talked or made stupid jokes. Paul and Embry weren't exactly comfortable around us but I was really starting to like Seth and Quil. They truly cared about Bella and they just wanted her to be happy. Also, Seth got along really well with Alice. It was his quiet nature that she enjoyed, talking animatedly about something in some corner of the room. Seth politely nodded his head and smiled at something she said.

By the end of the meeting, there was no food left and only one two liter of soda left.

"You'll have to make more food next time," Bella warned Esme as she shut the door after the last wolf walked out of the room after promises of meeting up in the morning.

Emmett and Sam had the first run tomorrow, along with Carlisle and Paul. Alice and Seth had the late run, along with Jacob and Rosalie.

That was sure to go well.

"Do you think?" Esme asked Bella seriously, looking a little surprised. She thought she made too much food and was glad it went over so well but she thought that the boys were just being polite in eating it.

"Yes, I do. They're total and complete hogs. Lots more next time. I'll help," Bella offered with a smile, taking her hand for a moment and squeezing it.

I couldn't help but smile at the mother daughter interaction. Bella fit so well in my family.

"I would love that, my dear," Esme smiled brightly before leaning in to kiss her cheek softly. "You two have a good night. I will see you tomorrow, okay Bella?"

"Okay," Bella said quietly before biting her bottom lip and glancing over at the clock. It was just past ten at night. "I guess I should get my shoes, huh?"

"That would be a good idea. I'm sure Charlie wants to talk to you," I said with a deep sigh.

"Promise me that you'll hunt tonight," Bella said quickly, taking a step towards me.

"What?" I said in surprise. "Don't you want me to-"

Bella cut me off, shaking her head as she put her hand over my mouth lightly. "I can handle Charlie, I promise. I'll be fine. But, you need to eat. Your eyes are really dark and I know it's hard for you. Please, I just want you to be more comfortable, okay?"

"Okay," I said quietly. "I'll be in your room before morning though," I added in. Bella opened her mouth to say something but I stopped that quickly. I didn't want her to argue with me on this. "This is for as much me as it is you. I don't want to be away from you for very long."

"Okay," she agreed with a nod of her head. "I'll be right back and then we can go."

I watched as Bella walked up the stairs, leaning against the wall in the foyer as I did so. "What are you dreading so much?" Jasper asked as he came into the room, looking between me and Bella as he spoke. "You're both acting like you're going to your doom."

"Jacob told Charlie about the motorcycles," I explained quietly.

"So?" Jasper asked. He instantly felt my flash of annoyance. "Ah, I take it the good chief doesn't want his only child riding on a death machine?"

"Exactly," I breathed out. "And she just made me promise to go hunting so I won't be there for the aftermath. I won't be there to comfort her."

Jasper was thinking something over for a moment, careful not to let me hear it. "I can stand outside, if you want," he offered finally. "If she gets too upset, I can calm her down. Maybe I can sooth some of the chief's anger?"

"You would do that?" I asked in surprise.

"Yeah. Alice can go with me if you'd feel more comfortable," he offered quickly, showing in his mind that it wouldn't offended me if I agreed to this. I decided to go the way with the most tact.

"Actually, yes, I think Alice going would be a good idea. She might get a vision if something is going to happen since she'll be away from the wolves. And, if Bella gets too upset Alice can comfort her and just tell her that she had a vision about it. She doesn't even have to say she was checking up on her."

Jasper nodded, "sounds like a good plan. We'll follow behind you through the forest and scout around her house while we're at it. Oh, and by the way, tomorrow we need to sit down and talk about-"

"About the southern wars. I know. We will. We'll have to see what time though. It all depends on Charlie," I answered with a huff of breath. "You may be able to tell her tonight if he acts too badly."

"He won't," Jasper told me with a smirk. "I'll make sure of that."

"Thanks, brother," I smiled at him. He clapped me on the shoulder and went off to find his own pair of shoes. Alice was already getting ready to go in her room. I could hear the quiet conversation as Alice told her husband what a good man he was. There was the light sounds of smacking kissing and I was so glad that for once I wasn't jealous.

I wasn't alone now. I wasn't the seventh wheel, so to speak. I had my mate. She was mine for all time and if I wanted to kiss her, by god, I could. Bella came down the stairs, her hand brushing against the railing as she walked down.

Almost instantly I was by her side with my lips pressed against her. I stopped a couple steps down so we were the same height, making the kiss as comfortable for her as possible. Her fingers snaked into my hair as my lips trailed against her jaw.

"What's this about?" She asked breathlessly.

I pulled away with a sigh. I couldn't wait until I had her all the time. "Nothing," I lied. "I'm just going to miss you," speaking the complete and utter truth.

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**Hey guys! Wanted to update. Hope you enjoyed the meeting. Charlie is next chapter and what happens afterwards. I think you'll be rather interested in what happens afterwards. **

**I'm going to try to get in writing another chapter of UTFM this week but we'll see. I kind of have a lot on my plate this week. Alex- my Edward- is sick and my best friend is leaving for New Jersey. Besides that, I want to write for Computer repair. (if you haven't read, check it out!)**

**I bet none of you were expecting for the wolves to eat the food. There was a reason Bella picked Seth though. Smart move, huh? So, who wants chicken wings now?**


	17. Home

**Thanks for the fantastic reviews! Sorry I didn't post another chapter last week but you know the trouble fan fic was having. Such a pain.**

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**Home**

Not surprisingly, the light was still on when we arrived at Bella's father's house. Charlie was sitting inside, staring blankly at the TV screen, not really watching what was playing before him like a zombie. He was furious still. He sipped absently on a beer, his fifth or so for the night while still in his suit from the viewing. All Charlie could keep thinking was 'how could she do this to me.' His anger was balled into one. The scene, the bikes, and the loss of his friend was too much for him to take at once and he snapped.

_Jeez_, I heard Jasper say to Alice as the wondered quietly around the house. _He's pissed. _

I felt like saying 'no shit,' but I decided to keep that thought to myself. I'd talk to him later. I'd called Jasper once Bella went inside. I didn't want Bella to know that I had people watching her at this very moment. I knew this was private to her and she needed to deal with it on her own.

Bella sat silently in the driveway with me, her hands in her lap. "Are you okay?" I asked quietly. She just shook her head, her lips pursed slightly.

"If it goes badly... can I...?" She trailed off in question. I didn't need to be able to read her mind to know what she was asking.

"Of course, my love. You can just stay there tonight if you want. We can give Charlie more time to cool off," I offered hopefully. There was nothing more I wanted to do at that moment but go home and lay on the floor with her until the dawn.

"Do you think he'd be any cooler if I stayed the night at my boyfriend's house, a boyfriend by the way that he hates, after finding out that his only daughter has a thing for motorcycles?" She asked in a sarcastic tone, rolling her eyes.

"Hm, you may have a point there," I agreed a little sadly. "I'm just worried."

"Don't be. It won't do us any good- either one of us. Besides, there are other things we need to worry about," she said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Just go get you some dinner."

"Telling me not to worry about you is like telling me to stop loving you. That's not going to happen," I said as I smoothed a piece of hair behind her ear gently. I leaned forward slowly and pressed my lips firmly against hers, giving her a proper kiss. Her trembling fingers went to my shoulders, returning the kiss fully. "And I do love you, so very much."

"You know, he's not going to kill me," Bella tried to say lightly but it didn't really work. I think there were worse things she could do to her besides kill her. She knew that as well. "We'll see each other again tonight."

"I know, I know... I just..." I shook my head and gave her a small smile. "I will see you in a few hours at the most."

"Okay. I'll be the one snoring in the tiny bed," she said playfully, brushing her fingers through my hair lightly.

"You don't snore. You talk. Either way, it's adorable," I informed her before kissing her again. I couldn't get enough of her lips. They were just so delicious. They molded to mine so perfectly. "It'll be okay," I assured her. Maybe I was assuring myself. Who knew at this point.

"It'll be more than okay, Edward. We both know that. It just may take some time before it gets that way. There is no point to worrying about now though. Go enjoy your hunt and then come cuddle with me if you want to afterwards. I'm sure we'll both need it by then."

"That's an understatement," I informed her.

"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath as she prepared herself to get out of the car. "I love you. I'll see you in a little while."

"Alright, love."

"Bye," she whispered breathlessly as she opened the door and walked to the door with her head held high. She was walking in there as a woman, not a child who was about to be pushed around. It was easy to see that she still scared though. She wasn't afraid of her father, but how he felt about the whole thing. She didn't want to lose him before she had no other choice. By this time next year she would be a vampire and she would never be able to be around her father again. I'm sure that weighed heavily on her shoulders.

"There you are!" Charlie yelled loudly as soon as she came in. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Please calm down, Charlie. Sit down," Bella said calmly.

"Don't tell me what to do. Do you know what I've been going through today? How dare you-" I pulled out of the driveway before I raced inside to steal her away from this. She didn't need to be around that. She had enough on her plate already. She didn't need to worry about her dad having a heart attack as well at the sight of me running at inhuman speeds.

"Hey," I said when Jasper picked up the phone after I dialed his number mindlessly. "She's inside."

"I know," he said quietly, the sound of the leaves rustling in the background almost covering up his voice.

"Charlie is..."

"Out of control. I'm working on it. Don't worry. We won't let anything happen to Bella, you know that. Go hunt and we'll be here when you get back. I will do as much as I can."

"Did you give Bella a boost of confidence?" I asked finally, not sure why I wanted to know. "I mean, earlier when she was walking inside."

"No, why?" My brother asked in surprise.

"No reason. Thanks. I'll call when I'm headed back," I said before I hung up the phone. I felt a since of pride knowing that Bella had that all on her own. She was such a strong and beautiful woman and I loved her so much for it.

I drove about fifty miles south before ditching the car. I ran another ten minutes, getting about another thirty miles. I didn't want to be caught somewhere Victoria was. I wasn't totally sure I could handle her on my own, especially if she caught me off guard. I was almost positive though she was in Seattle right now but I wasn't going to put down my guard. I was sure Victoria was older than me and that probably wasn't a good thing for me. I would not allow her to take me away from my love when I had just gotten her back.

I hunted as quickly as possible, finding the largest mammal I could find. It wasn't a mountain lion or a bear, but it would do. The large wild hog smelt bad and had an even worse taste but I wouldn't have to look for anything else to eat. Elks, unless fairly large, weren't ever enough. Deer either. I took long quick drags, pulling the liquid into my mouth and swallowing as much as possible. The animal thrashed wildly underneath until finally he stilled, the blood loss making him pass out. It wasn't two minutes later and he was dead.

I groaned as I stood, my shirt bloodied and dirty. I had mud on my pants and my shoes. I would have to get myself cleaned up before I went to see Bella. I didn't want to make her sick with my appearance. The last thing she needed tonight was for her to throw up or pass out on top of that.

Booking it home, it only took about thirty minutes to get there. I ran up to my room, gathering some clothes before taking a quick shower. I scrubbed myself down, getting rid of the forest smell. I had had enough of it lately.

It was around two in the morning when I finally started to head back towards her house. It was much longer than I would have liked, that's for sure. I picked up my phone and dialed Jasper's number once again. "Edward," he answered.

"How is she?" I asked.

"She's asleep."

"That doesn't tell me much," I answered sourly.

"I'd rather not talk about this over the phone. Why don't you hurry up and we'll talk about it?" He said. I heard Alice say something in the background that I couldn't quite make out. "Alright, darling," Jasper answered her. "Alice says that she can't see Victoria coming around the house again for sometime. She said she thought you might want to know that."

"That's good. So, she's got her visions back? It was the werewolves that through it off?" I asked.

"Yes. She's had a headache for days it seems. She's got them back but they're not as clear as before. We're not sure why. I have a theory that she's out of practice."

"Okay," I answered him, not really wanting to get into this conversation with him. I was more worried about Bella than my sister. "I'll be there in about five minutes."

"Alright, brother."

I closed the phone and threw it on my seat. Stepping on the gas, I picked up the speed somewhat. I was actually there in three minutes. I parked my car somewhere in the woods, running the rest of the way. Jasper and Alice were standing about a hundred yards away from her window, standing quietly under a tree. Jasper had his arms around his wife, holding her to him as he sent her soothing waves.

"That bad?" I asked as I took them in. Alice just nodded.

"He tore her apart, Edward. He was just so mad. He berated her for the bikes and for you. He hates you and what you've done to Bella. He called her an idiot for taking you back. He said that she was a stupid immature little brat. I know he doesn't mean it but he didn't have to say that," Alice explained to me in a rough voice.

"Why would he call her that? She's anything but," I sighed heavily. "Why couldn't you control him, Jasper?"

"He was beyond my control. I did calm him down a little but he still said those things. The beer didn't help. I can't imagine what he would have said if he went full swing," Jasper frowned.

"What did Bella do?"

"She took it. She didn't say anything until he was done." Alice closed her eyes and replayed the scene in her head for me to see. Alice must have been watching through a window.

_Bella was standing there with her head held high but her jaw was shivering. Silent tears were dripping down her cheeks. Charlie continued to yell at her, the words blending together. Finally he stopped, gripping one of the chairs in the kitchen as he caught his breath. _

"_I'm so sorry that is the way you feel," Bella said in a quiet voice. Charlie's head snapped up at her words. "But it changes nothing."_

"_Changes nothing?" Charlie hissed back. "You will not see that boy again and you will never touch a motorcycle again. Do you understand me?"_

"_I understand, but it doesn't mean I'm going to listen. Edward isn't a boy. He's a man. And he's going to be the only man in my life. You should get use to it. There is nothing you can do about that. And I'm over eighteen, if I wish to ride a motorcycle in which I paid for then I will."_

"_Not if I put you under house arrest," he roared back at her. _

"_For what, exactly? What laws have I broken? What a wonderful way for you to lose your badge, putting your daughter under false imprisonment. I will leave. That's fine. I expected it to come to this," Bella said numbly, the tears now gone. They were replaced with an almost eerie unseeing mask. _

"_Leave? No, Bella don't," Charlie sighed, pushing the chair roughly. _

"_I will not be your prisoner," Bella answered as she began to walk towards her room. "You will not arrest me. You will not ground me. And you won't keep me from seeing Edward. I am an adult, legally and if you do not like it, I'm sorry."_

"_Bella," Charlie called to her. She was already half way up the stairs but she stopped, not turning around. "That boy isn't good for you. You've got to see that."_

"_He's a man, not a boy. You would prefer me with Jacob, the motorcyclist?" There was a silence. "That's what I thought," she answered back. "I won't leave as long as you don't force my hand. I have a place to go but even if I didn't, I wouldn't allow you to talk to me that way anymore. Goodnight Charlie."_

The vision dissolved before my eyes and once again I was looking at Jasper and Alice. "She cried herself to sleep," Alice explained.

_She needed to cry_, Jasper thought. _I gave her some time before I helped her relax. _

I nodded my head in thanks. "Thank you so much for doing this. Both of you."

"She's our sister too," Jasper said quietly, patting my shoulder. "Good luck."

"Thanks," I sighed before making the climb up to Bella's window. It was left opened wide for me.

Bella was still in her clothing from earlier, her shoes not even off. I sighed heavily, taking in her sad face. Her eyes were puffy and swollen, her cheeks red. I brushed some hair out of her eyes, frowning to myself. _I should have been there_, I berated myself. I should have comforted her.

"Edward?" Bella asked quietly as she opened her eyes. I hadn't realized she was in such a light sleep. Normally she was such a heavy sleeper but I shouldn't have been surprised.

"I'm here, my love. Are you okay?" She just shook her head. "I am so sorry."

"Not your fault," she mumbled a bit drunkly. You could still hear the sleep rough in her voice.

"Lets get you changed and get you back into bed, okay?" I offered, rubbing my hand up and down her back. Bella nodded her head but didn't make a single move. I decided to take this part over. I moved to the end of the bed and slowly began to undo her shoes, dropping each of them to the floor. Charlie didn't even quiet his snoring as the shoe thudded to the ground. He had passed out himself, too upset and too much beer.

"Edward," Bella said softly, her voice barely above a whisper as she moaned out the sound.

"Sh," I hushed her. "Let me do this for you."

I pulled off her socks next, dropping them to the floor before I began to massage her feet with my thumbs and fingers. I took my time, gently rubbing soothing circles into each of them. Bella laid flatly on her back, her toes pointing straight as I worked my way up to her ankles. When I got to the fabric of her jeans I stopped, going to kneel beside her legs on the bed. Her arms were above her head on the bed, looking up at me with slow blinking eyes. I held her gaze as I undid her jeans, pushing them to the floor after shoving them down her legs. Her bare legs were so beautiful.

I leaned down, kissing her stomach lightly as I pushed her sweater off of her body. She sat up a little to help me, letting me tug it over her head. Once I was done with that, I straddled her knees and slipped an arm underneath her back. I sat her up more fully and Bella wrapped her arms around my neck to stay upright. I brought my lips to her ear, speaking soothing words as I unhooked her bra. "Do you know how beautiful and wonderful you are? Do you know how happy you make me? You are the most amazing woman in this world and I am so happy to have you with me. One day you will make me the happiest husband. I will never let anyone hurt you," I assured her. I popped the hooks just as her face buried inside the crook of my neck. I massaged the area where the strap was, trying to rub away some of her stress.

"I love you so much," Bella whispered as she pulled back from me. I worked my hands over her shoulders, taking the straps and sliding them gently down her arms. Her breasts gave way, bouncing beautifully before settling once again. As tempting as it was, I restrained myself from kissing them. That's not what she needed right now. She needed to be comforted, not seduced.

I got up off the bed, walking to her dresser. "What would you like to wear?" I asked. "A shirt? A night gown? Some sweats?"

Bella shook her head. "Take off your clothes and join me. I want to feel all of you. I want you to hold me."

"Bella, I don't want you to get cold," I said quietly, warring with my body.

She shook her head again, this time her hair spilling over her shoulders and kissing the tips of her breasts. I swallowed hard and reminded myself that she needed me to be a gentlemen for a moment. "Please, come hold me."

My resolved melted when I saw her face. I could never say no to that face. It would be simply to hard to do so. She owned me and she knew it. So, I did as she asked and stripped out of my clothing until I reached my boxers. We would at least be equally matched. I didn't normally wear underwear but I was glad I did tonight.

Bella moved over slightly, giving me room in her tiny bed. I laid beside her, pulling her close to my chest and wrapping the sheet around her tightly along with the blanket around both of us. My beloved snuggled close to my chest, burying her face in the crook of my neck once again. Silently, I began to rub her back. "I love you," I whispered, my body aching for her in every single possible way. I would control my impulses just for her.

"Edward, you are my home," Bella whispered in return. Before she could say anything else I began to hum in her ear, the same soothing lullaby that I did before. She relaxed in my grip, her leg hitching over my waist just before sleep came to overtake her. When I was sure she was completely out I stopped humming, lightly kissing her forehead.

"You are my home as well, my love."

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**Harsh, huh? Well, I promise to make up for it next chapter. It'll be good, trust me. You'll like it. It'll be sweet. **

**I'd have more to say but I'm dead after being woken up from a fantastic dream far too early. Lets just involved a certain celebrity, a snowy setting outside, and loads of kissing. Sigh, so lovely. Why'd my husband how to go to work?**

**By the way, happy labor day!**

**On twitter if you want to follow! Jayeliwood. **

**Who's ready for lovin?**


	18. Aftermath

**Thanks for the fantastic reviews!**

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**Aftermath**

Charlie left out around seven in the morning, not even bothering to check on Bella. I wasn't surprised about this to be honest. He was still angry. No, it was worse than angry. He felt betrayed. Like his daughter wasn't the girl he thought she was. That's where he was completely wrong. She wasn't a girl anymore. She was very much a beautiful woman.

I stayed in bed with Bella, her head resting on my chest as she slept sweetly beside me. Her hand began to trail down my stomach in her sleep and I poorly held back a moan. I knew the moment she awoke even if her eyes didn't open. Her face buried further into my chest as she began to flatten her palm against my pelvis. "Bella," I groaned as her warm hands made trails of fire against me. It was almost too much.

"Edward, I have a question for you," she mumbled without even opening her eyes.

"What's that, my love?"

"Do vampires have morning wood?" She said as seriously as she could be.

I barked out a laugh, unable to help myself. Bella giggled and sat up a little bit, her face a vivid and beautiful shade of red. "You have a dirty mind, my future Mrs. Cullen."

"Well, as your wife, I need to know these things," she teased just before she lifted the blanket and peered underneath. "It appears so."

I snorted, taking the blanket from her loose grasp and placing it over me again. "That has nothing to do with the time of day, trust me."

"Oh, what does it have to do with?" She said with a wicked little smile, her hand sliding down underneath the blankets again and gripping me through my boxers. I groaned in pleasure but moved her hand away. "What?"

"Bella, are you sure you are up for this? I mean, after last night..." I trailed off, not wanting to bring it up.

Bella took in a deep breath and bit her lip before she looked at me. "Last night was horrible. I'll admit that. But right now, I just want to forget about it and move on. I want to feel good. You make me feel good and right now I know there is nothing stopping us from doing this. Unless Jasper is still outside," she smirked at me.

"How did you know?" I asked quietly.

"I don't fall asleep that easily after being that upset. I've felt that way before, Edward. I'm a smart girl," I opened my mouth to apologize but she raised up her hand to stop me. "I'm not mad. I can understand why you did it. I would have done the same thing if we switched places. Thank you, for understanding..." She trailed off, lifting up a little more so that the blanket was down to her stomach. "Now, is Jasper still outside?"

"No," I shook my head, trying very hard not to look at her perky pink nipples. I felt a bit breathless, unable to keep from moistening my lips as I imagined what it would be like to taste them in the back of my mind. I wanted them so badly. I wanted them in my mouth.

"So," Bella smiled teasingly, looking at me with such lust in her eyes that I felt dizzy. "What does it have to do with, Edward?"

It took me a minute to remember the question, my mind foggy. Morning wood, right. Instead of answering her, I held her gaze and flicked my finger over one of her nipples. "Perhaps this?"

Bella groaned softly, her head leaning back and exposing the slender length of her neck. It also made her breast push out even further. "That feels so good," Bella mumbled.

I slowly brought my hand up and brought my knuckles over the stiff flesh, letting the ice of my touch actually work for me for once. Bella shivered as a groan left her lips, her eyes closing as her mouth opened. After another pass, I palmed her breast and began to massage it slowly. Bella head snapped forward with her mouth still open and her eyes wide. In a surprisingly quick motion she was on top of me, straddling my waist. She pulled the blanket from underneath and threw it to the floor, leaving us with nothing but thin fabric of underthings between us.

"Keep doing that," she pressed, bringing her other hand up to her other breast. I laughed despite myself. "What?"

"You are like something out of my fantasies and you're begging me to touch you. I'm wondering exactly how I got so lucky to have you. I feel so alive, Bella. You make me feel human."

"You are human," she tried to correct me.

"A dead one maybe," I muttered.

Bella swiveled her hips against me, charging up some of the energy I had lost in my frustrated moment. I could feel her wetness seeping through the fabric of my boxers. "Can a dead human do that, Edward? Can they make a woman weak in the knees and begging for more?"

I sighed softly and smiled as I looked up at her. "You can be so cheesy sometimes."

"It doesn't make it any less true," she said, placing her hands on my own and forced them to move. Her eyes became heavily lidded, her cheeks filling with delicious blood. "If you were really dead, then I wouldn't let you do that to me. I wouldn't want you to."

"Perhaps I should stop?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She rolled her eyes at me. "Bella, I have no heartbeat. I don't need air. By definition I am dead."

"Then it's wrong. The definition needs to change," Bella said fiercely. "It's your soul that makes you alive. It's your heart that makes you human, not how it beats."

If my heart did beat, it would have skipped at that moment. I brought one of my hands to the back of her neck and brought her down to kiss me. Bella's hair became a curtain around us, shading us from the entire world. There was no one else. I brought my other hand to the small of her back, letting my fingers slip underneath the band of her panties as we continued to kiss.

Bella pulled away first, of course. I could kiss forever but she needed the air. Slowly she began to kiss down my neck and down my chest, sliding her way downwards. "What are you doing?" I stuttered out as she flicked her tongue over my belly button.

"I believe it's called _going_ _down_," she teased as she urged my underwear downwards. My erection sprang free and her eyes got big, as did her smile. The look couldn't have been considered anything but absolutely wicked.

"Isabella, not that I wouldn't love having that done to me. And it's not that I haven't imagined it before with, oh god," I moaned as she kissed one of my hips, "with those beautiful lips of yours but, love- I could knock out your teeth if we did that."

Bella snorted, laying her forehead against my stomach for a moment before she looked up at me with a laugh, her hands the only thing keeping her upright. "Really?"

"I'm not joking, Bella. I could seriously hurt you. What if I got too... _excited_... and hurt you? What if I snapped your neck? What if I..." Bella continued to laugh, trying to hide it poorly. "I'm serious."

"I know. I know you are but god, you have to admit it's a little funny. Do you really think you'd get too _excited_?" Bella wiggled her eyebrows at me.

"Um, remember where your lips would be. That's a yes," I answered.

"Edward, I've never done this before. I'll probably be awful at it. I just... I just want to taste you. I want to feel what it's like to have you that way inside of me. I want to feel that as a human."

"Love, there is nothing you could be awful at. Just having you that close to it is making me ache. I'm not sure if I can control myself," I told her truthfully. Of course Bella didn't listen to me, tugging my shorts further and further down my legs.

"If it becomes too much, let me know. Why don't you put your hands above your head so you don't have to worry about hurting me that way? I'll stop right away if I feel like I'm pushing too hard," Bella offered, kissing my thigh lightly.

"I don't think you know what too far is," I gasped as she kissed a little further up my thigh. Her breast passed over me, teasing my tip in the most amazing way. I couldn't take much more of it. "Okay," I breathed out, bringing my arms up and behind my head, holding them in place that way. "But, I can't... well, you know... in your mouth. That is not happening no matter what."

"You use such pretty words most of the time and you can't even say that right now," Bella teased me, wrapping her fingers around me. My eyes closed tightly, not sure I'd be able to look at her while she did this without going wild.

"Bella, I can't _come_ in your mouth," I said the word in disdain. "Please understand my fear with that. I know that most likely nothing would happen but there is no way I'm taking the chance."

"I'll stop before you do, Edward. I promise. I don't want to scare you," she whispered, her hot breath flowing over me. I swallowed back my lust, trying to hold my trembling body still as I first felt her lips descend down upon me.

At first it was just gentle kisses, first at the tip and then all the way down the shaft before going back up again. It kiss was so soft and so so warm. It was perfect. I felt... _worshiped_. Then she brought her lips around me, simply taking in the very head. I groaned loudly, praising god in my head that we were alone right now. There was no way in god's green earth that I would be able to quiet myself at this moment. It was far too good.

Bella took everything so slowly, getting the use to the feel of me before sliding me further into her mouth. When she tasted me, she moaned loudly. The vibration was fantastic, ringing throughout my entire body. She tried to take it all in but she found it impossible, gagging when she had taken about three fourths of me. But, it was enough to wet me, her fingers wrapping around what she could not have in her mouth.

I could not imagine a more amazingly strange feeling in the world.

Her tongue flicked over me several times before moving up, flattened, over my slit. I cried out, grabbing my hair as her teeth dragged along me. It was perfect and the idea that she would only get better with time and practice excited me.

"Mm," Bella moaned again, sliding down until she reached her hand, hallowing her cheeks as she sucked me in greedily. That's when I reached my breaking point. She hadn't even been doing it a full two minutes but I couldn't handle anymore. The fear that I would spurt violently down her throat worried me greatly.

"Sweetheart," I gasped out, "stop. I can't handle anymore. Please," I begged her, the ache in my voice echoing in my ears. I didn't care though.

Within five seconds she stopped and crawled up my body, kissing me firmly on the lips with both hands on my cheeks. I moaned against her lips, rubbing my arousal against her cloth covered center that hovered right above me.

"I like doing that," she informed me in an almost childlike voice. "I want to do it again."

"My god, you are dangerous," I growled, unable to stop myself as I brought my hand roughly to the back of her neck. My urge to take her again crept into my stomach. That primal need pressed against my chest, demanded it's release. I wanted to so badly. But I wasn't sure I'd be able to control myself, if I would be able not to hurt her, if I were on top of her right now. "Isabella, love, I want you on top of me. I want to feel myself inside of you this way."

Bella flushed beautifully at my words, her skin glowing with her desire. She began to move off of me to remove her panties but I couldn't have that. Before I realized what I was doing, my fingers were hooked into the sides of her panties, ripping them off. The fabric fell tattered to my stomach and I snatched it up before throwing it to the side.

"Wow, eager," Bella laughed breathlessly as she leaned down to kiss me.

"I watched your naked body all night last night. I watched the way of your breast rose and fell in your sleep and the way your lips parted when you moaned in your sleep. I'm more than eager," I explained to her. "I need you."

"I'm not sure how to do this, Edward," Bella's voice quivered as she spoke. I just shook my head at her, kissing her lightly as I took her hips into one of my hands. With my other hand, I guided myself into her warmth and wetness. Bella moaned loudly, her head falling to her shoulder. "I feel so full."

"Is it okay?" I asked, resisting the urge to buck up against her. It was so hard not to. The desire was biting at me, my hips trembling with the effort to stay still.

Bella nodded as she slowly sat up, her hands on my shoulders to keep herself balanced. With a small lift, she brought herself up slowly before coming back down again. A small squeak left her lips just as a long moan did, her head falling back . "More than okay," Bella finally answered. She bounced on me again. "Is this okay?"

"More than okay," I answered, my hands going from her hips up her sides. Slowly I brought my hands to her breast, palming them as she began to move. My head leaned back against her pillow as the bed began to groan with the movement. With each pass she became faster and faster, her breath coming out in pants. She was so beautiful that I couldn't take it anymore. My control was completely gone. I lost it completely. "Oh, god!"

Bella tightened slightly as I filled her, a small satisfied smile on her face. She brought her hands up to my own which were still covering her breasts. She looked down at me and her smile grew. "Did you enjoy that?"

"Yes, but I was hoping to last a bit longer than that. You didn't..." I cleared my throat. "You didn't finish."

Bella pulled herself off of me and laid beside me. I didn't want her to do that but I wasn't going to stop her. I rolled over, looking deeply into her eyes. She leaned her jaw on her palm, bringing her other hand up to my hair to smooth it out of my eyes. "It's okay. I like making you feel good."

"Bella," I said in an exasperated sigh, "that is something a normal girl would say to a normal teenage boy. Let me tell you something, I am anything but normal."

With that I grabbed her leg and yanked her gently so that she was laying on her back with her legs spread. Bella laughed, looking up at me while biting her lips. "Okay, I can agree that you are anything but average in this certain field."

I stroked her thighs as I positioned myself between her legs on my knees. "I would certainly hope not," I dragged my fingers closer and closer to her warmth, tracing my fingertips over her swollen pink and red lips. Bella gasped as my thumb brushed over her bud, dipping my fingers into her entrance. "Can I touch you this way?" I asked quietly.

"You can do whatever you want to me. I'm yours," Bella said just as her eyes closer. I bit my lip, a nervous habit I had picked up from Bella and brought one of my fingers slowly inside of her. Bella gasped loudly, her head tilting back. "More," she asked in a quiet voice.

I began to move it in and out slowly, pumping it into her before adding a second one. My hand was already coated with her moisture, it dripping down my palm. I felt inside of her, looking for something very specific. I knew the second I had found it because Bella gasped and bucked against my hand. The wall was different here, soft and spongy. I crooked my fingers against it again and Bella jerked her hips upwards wildly. "Do you like it?"

"Yes," Bella gasped loudly. I had to grin to myself. I did that to Bella.

With my other hand, I traced my way up her stomach to her breast. I cupped the left one slowly, loving the weight against my palm. This was what I was made for. I was made to fit her perfectly in every single way. She was my puzzle piece, my other and far better half.

"More," Bella called out loudly, her eyes screwed shut as her hips gyrated against my hand. I leaned forward slightly, palming her center as I leaned down to take her other breast into my mouth. With a simple flick of my tongue, Bella screamed out. She began to contract around my hand violently, her entire body shaking. I groaned against her skin, feeling myself painfully hard. But, I knew after an orgasm like that she probably wouldn't be up for that.

I pulled my fingers from her body before shifting beside her, slowly kissing her shoulder and chest as my hand massaged her stomach. Bella's heart was going a million miles an hour and her breathing was erratic, even a couple minutes after. "Are you okay?" I asked quietly, almost afraid to look at her. What if she was in pain? What if I had hurt her? Would she ever forgive me if I did?

"That..." Bella laughed breathlessly. "That was... oh, my god! Edward!" She laughed, curling into my side and burying her face in my neck and pressing her body against mine. "That was so good," Bella mumbled into my neck.

"Excuse me?" I asked, laughing at her behavior as I brushed her hair off the back of her neck. I leaned forward and lightly kissed her shoulder. "I didn't understand that."

"That was so good. I have never... ever... I mean, ever... felt that good before. I've never even gotten myself-" Bella stopped mid sentence and shoved her face into my chest, her skin ultra hot.

"Oh, god," I groaned, rubbing my hand down her side. "That is such a nice thought."

Bella pulled back, looking at me with a curious expression. "Edward... have you ever seen me? Well, you know?"

"No," I shook my head. "If I suspected you were going to do that I always left to give you some privacy. I am a gentlemen. I think watching a woman masturbate would count me as a pervert."

"Were you ever tempted?" She asked with a sugary sweet expression, trailing her hand over my hips.

"Don't ask me that question," I begged.

Bella slid my hand to my chin, leaning forward to kiss me slowly and sweetly. She brought her lips to my ear. "That's answer enough..."

And then it all started again.

About two hours later after we finally decided to stop. If not for the fact Bella would be sore and we'd end up killing the bed, I wouldn't have wanted to stop. We showered together, showing each other the love we felt with each kiss and touch.

By around noon, after Bella ate some breakfast and then we headed back to my home. I knew Jasper wanted to tell Bella the importance of his story. He wanted to give her some history he didn't really like to share. I knew it all, probably more than Alice did but I didn't have a choice in the matter. It was an honor for Jasper to open himself up like this to Bella. I knew deep down Jasper wanted Bella to like him. He knew she wasn't afraid of him. He wanted to be normal around her. He wanted to be as comfortable around Bella as his wife was. That was not going to happen until she turned, but I liked the effort.

Jasper was sitting on the porch when we pulled up to the house, sitting in a pair of jeans and a tank top. It was an outfit he didn't wear often. He didn't like his scars. They were barely noticeable to a human, but to my eyes he was completely marked. I could see the pain in each of them.

"Good morning," Jasper drawled as we walked up the stairs. He nodded his head to my bride. "Bella."

"Good morning, Jasper," Bella smiled sweetly. "Thank you."

Jasper looked at me, his mind full of questions. The loudest one was 'did you tell her?' I simply shook my head. "How did you know?" He asked her quietly.

"I'm a smart girl. Thank you. I know it must have been boring to listen to," Bella said bashfully, looking at the ground.

"No, it was painful. I felt every bit of your pain times two. I'm so sorry. He shouldn't have said those things about you. He was just upset and lonely," Jasper explained.

"I know, and thank you again."

We stood in an uncomfortable silence for a moment before Jasper cleared his throat, not knowing what to make of the moment. "Bella, I don't know if Edward has told you or not, but I need to speak to you about something very important."

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**On twitter if you want to follow! Jayeliwood!**

**So, I went kind of crazy with the loving. I hope that's okay. **

**I'd say more but BOTH of my kids are now sick and I think I'm joining them. Damn my mother and her flu. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! I'm going to go to bed and cuddle with my kiddos while watching cartoons all day. **

**Who wants to do that to Edward, btw? Think it's like eating a Popsicle?lol **


	19. Stories

**Thanks for the awesome reviews! Keep them coming!**

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**Stories**

Much to my surprise, Alice was no where to be found. She had heard this story before and she didn't like it, not one little bit. She could feel all of Jasper's pain when he told it, feel it in her heart and in her bones. It was just too much for her to bare at times.

We followed behind Jasper, Bella and I walking hand in hand as he led the way. This was his story and I wanted him to be comfortable. I didn't want him to feel cornered.

We came to the living room and Jasper sat down on the large chase lounge that took up the left side of the room. He adjusted himself, spreading his legs and leaning forward with his hands clasped between his legs. His thoughts were uncomfortable and unorganized and he didn't like that at all.

"Where to begin?" He asked with a slight smile, knowing I was taking in his thoughts.

"That's up to you, brother," I said as I sat down on the couch. Bella sat down beside me, placing her hand on my lap.

He licked his lips slowly._ From the beginning then..._ "Bella, I trust Edward has told you how he came into this life?"

"Yes," Bella nodded her head.

"Edward... Edward had it easier, I think," I shook my head but he stopped me. "You did, even if you don't believe it. We all struggle now, but because of how I came into this life I am the worst, am I not?"

"It's not your fault," I sighed quietly.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. But Bella, has Edward told you about how I came into this life?" He asked, looking up at her slowly.

"No," she shook her head and looking at me in question.

"It was not my story to tell," I explained with a shrug. "I don't believe I've ever even told her how old you are."

He let out a small chuckle. "That's surprising. But thank you for your candidacy."

"Of course," I nodded my head. "She'll need all the details then."

He let out a little humming sound as he sat back. "Indeed. Well, the very beginning then. Bella, I was born Jasper Whitlock in Texas in 1844."

"Wow," Bella breathed. "So you're the oldest besides Carlisle?"

"I am," he nodded. "I was part of a rich southern family. My parents had many interests in the war but I had only one. I wanted to fight. A lot like Edward in that way," he said thoughtfully. "But the difference between us is that I actually made it to the war and he did not."

"I am grateful for that," I muttered quietly.

"The world war one wasn't nearly as bad as the civil war. At least there were doctors. There was a possibility of saving someone's life. But, I digress. As bloody as the war was, I was good at it. Very good. I became a major in the year 1864. I was ordered to go to a different camp, to send a message between two generals. I remember riding in the middle of the night on horseback down a dark and winding dirt road when I first saw them."

"Them?" Bella asked, completely wrapped up in the story now. She was leaning forward, listening to his words curiously.

"The sisters. Three small and beautiful woman with the most curious chalky complexion. It was like they were meant to be olive skinned but, not quite. They asked for help, claiming that their horse had been stolen with all of their things. Of course, I was taught to be a gentlemen. You were always meant to help ladies in their hour of need. I didn't realize what they needed though."

"Blood?" Bella asked.

"Surprisingly, no. Blood they had. No, they needed a man to mold and shape. It was a man's world after all. They also needed someone to do their dirty work."

"What do you mean?" She asked in confusion. She looked so concerned, poor thing. I could tell Bella cared for Jasper just as much as the rest of my family. She wanted him happy and safe. She was such a beautiful soul.

"Marie, my maker, though she was a tiny little thing," I could see the mental image in his mind, the way he use to worship her. He loved her in a way. Perhaps it was hero worship. "Well, even though she seemed not so dangerous, she was. Very much so. She controlled a very large coven and a very large area."

"Controlled? How so?"

The ways came into his head but he shook his head quickly. He didn't want to think about those things again. "Oh, there were ways, Bella. She controlled money, power, land, and all the vampires in that land. And if they did not bend to her will, they were destroyed."

"I don't suppose they liked that very much?" Bella asked quietly.

"No," he laughed humorlessly. "Because Maria was not the only powerful one, of course. So, there would be battles. And what do you need to fight a battle?"

"Weapons," Bella answered then shook her head after a moment. "No. Soldiers. She needed soldiers."

"Exactly. So, she'd create them, biting human after human after human until she had an army of mindless bloodthirsty vampires who might as well been zombies. I... I trained them and if they did not follow orders, I would dispatch them."

"Dispatch them?"

"I would make an example of them. I would rip them to shreds, right in front of the others to show them exactly how much they were worth. Of course, they didn't always go so easily," Jasper smirked as he stuck out his arms to show his scars.

"I've never realized how many you had," Bella said softly. "Do they hurt?"

"No, not now anyway. But they'll never go away. Anyway, this isn't the whole point to this story. The reason she created those monsters was to try to win territory. To win a war. You see, there was a war going on in the south. This was the equal to perhaps your world war two? The war to end all wars," Jasper scoffed at the idea. "But the war got to big for them. Got too out of control. Too many humans were killed. The secret became threatened. So, The Volutri got involved. They killed everyone who were in any large number of groups. Bella, do you know why I'm telling you this?"

"Victoria is creating an army," Bella concluded quietly. She looked up slowly. "The Volutri are like the royalty, right?" She asked me, trying to remember what I had told her before at the beginning of the school year. I slowly nodded my head.

"They make the rules, though who gives them the power... I have no idea," I finished with a frown. "We do think she's creating an army. We're not telling you all of this to frighten you. We're telling you for two reasons. You need to know the truth."

"And, you need to follow directions," Jasper stepped in, being the leader I could not be with Bella. I knew I couldn't be this kind of harsh with her. I sighed a little and looked away. "Bella, what you did in Phoenix was a very stupid thing. You could have killed yourself and Edward. We cannot afford mistakes like that one now or we may bring the Volturi upon us before we can finish this thing ourselves. You are a part of this war now and you'll have to take orders, just like everyone else."

Blood filled Bella's cheeks as she swallowed roughly. Her voice was thick when she answered. "I understand."

"I'm saying this because... frankly, I don't want you to die. You make my brother happy. You make almost this entire family happy. I want you to have a chance at this life. Please, just make our job easy for us."

I heard Bella sniff beside me and I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Jasper frowned, upset that he had upset her somewhat but he knew it had to be said. He didn't feel guilty though. He stood up and patted Bella's hand before going towards the backyard. _A truck is coming down the drive,_ he thought towards me.

"Bella, why don't you go lay down on the couch in my room? The bed will be here in a minute and I'll bring it up for us. You can take a nap, if you want?" I offered to her. She nodded her head slowly and walked towards my room without a single word.

"She'll be okay," Alice said quietly as she came down the stairs. "I've seen it. She's just emotional right now. It's been a roller coaster week for her."

"I know," I mumbled as I walked to the door. They were about a minute from ringing it, but I didn't want them here long. I'd just have them bring the bed into the foyer and then I'd carry it up the stairs myself. "All that had to be said, didn't it?"

Alice nodded her head thoughtfully. "Bella is an emotional person. She reacts with her emotions sometimes. She needs to know that isn't okay right now. We all have her best interest at heart. Edward, don't worry. She's not mad. She's just... sad."

"Sad about what?" I asked quietly.

"Do you really want me to answer that or would you rather talk to Bella about it?" She smirked as she began to walk into the living room. _I washed all your sheets and such for you. They're all in your room waiting for you. _

"Thanks," I said quietly just as the bell finally rang. I opened it and didn't even bother to smile at the two dirty looking men in front of me. All they could think was about how much this house cost and how much I was worth. I hated other people's thoughts. "The bed?" I said without preamble.

"Yes, sir," one of them said rather nervously as he took in my face. He handed me a clipboard and I quickly signed it. "Where do you want it?"

"Bring it in here and I'll take it from here," I ordered, opening the other door and standing back to let them in. As they lugged the heavy mattress and frame out of the truck, I pulled out a couple of fifty dollar bills. That would more than make up for my rudeness in their minds I was sure. Money seemed to mean everything to them.

It took them about fifteen minutes to get everything inside. It killed me that I could hear the soft crying of my beloved upstairs but I knew she needed a minute to be by herself before I came inside. Bella needed that time to process her feelings and her thoughts.

I passed them each a bill before thanking them, making sure they were out of the driveway before I picked up the frame with one arm and headed up the stairs. I took a deep breath as I stood at the door, licking my lip slowly. Pushing the door slowly, I peered inside. Bella was laying on the couch wrapped in the blanket from the floor, her eyes red.

"Love," I breathed as I dropped the frame to the floor and went to her side. Slowly I ran my fingers over her cheeks. "Love, why are you so upset?"

"I almost killed you?" She asked in a strained voice. "I never meant-"

"Sh," I hushed her quietly. "I know that. Jasper was just trying to make a point."

"But, I could have killed you! James could have killed you I mean! And it would have been all my fault."

"But, we're both here and he's not," I whispered as I took her face in both of my hands before leaning down to kiss her lips lightly. "Don't ever think about that, okay? Everything worked out alright."

"Except Victoria," Bella mumbled, rubbing the side of her hand against her eyes.

"Well, yeah," I muttered, rubbing her cheek. "But, we will take care of that. We will find a way. Bella, we will be together always now. I will never let anything happen to you... as long you allow that to happen, okay?" I asked. Bella nodded her head slowly, sitting up a little bit.

"Poor Jasper," she whispered after a moment. "I can't imagine him in that life."

"He hates to admit it, but there was a time he enjoyed it. But, unlike most vampires his humanity grew with time. He hated the emotions he had to deal with. He hated death. So, he left. He came searching for a new life and that's how he found Alice. And Alice," I laughed a little at the memory of all the visions she showed me of the life she saw with the Cullen's. "Alice always knew she'd be apart of this. She knew that she'd be apart of this family and she knew that Jasper would be her mate."

"I know that part of her life was hard for her, but that sounds so nice. Just to know," Bella whispered as she looked at me.

"Alice doesn't always know for sure though. It's always changing. I don't envy her. Though, I don't think she envies me either," I told Bella truthfully.

"I miss Alice," Bella said quietly, giving me a slight smile.

"Here, I've got an idea for you. Why don't you go with Alice out to lunch and let her take you to the mall or something. Go be friends. Well, maybe the better word would be sisters. While you're gone I'll put the bed together."

"You wouldn't mind that?"

I sighed, giving her a tiny smile. "As much as I'd like to keep you for myself, I know you're not mine. Go. I'll be waiting for you in bed."

"Mm," Bella breathed softly. "That's a nice mental image. Do you promise?"

Bringing my hand up, I gave her a cheesy grin. "Promise. Now, go find Alice. She's in the backyard."

Bella stood up slowly and leaned down to my kneeling position in front of her and kissed the top of my head lightly before running her fingers through my hair. I mewed quietly in approval at her touch before standing up in a flash in front of her. Bella laughed lightly, wrapping her arms around my neck before pressing a kiss to my lips. I kissed her back, completely contented for that moment. It was becoming much much easier to find the joy in the small moments now.

"I love you, Edward Masen," Bella said against my lips, surprising me. I hadn't really thought about it much. When we got married, would she want to be Masen or Cullen? I'm sure our story would change from place to place, but that part- that real part- would stay the same.

"I love you too, Isabella Swan- Masen- Cullen," I teased quietly.

"We're not married yet," Bella reminded me as she walked towards the door with her hips swaying. She was teasing me back. It was such a change from her mood just moments ago. I would take it though.

"We will be though, and you will be," I informed her.

"Hm," she hummed quietly when she got to the door. "Isabella Masen. I like that. Isabella Cullen is pretty good too."

With that, she went to find Alice. I smiled to myself, rubbing the back of my neck with my hand.

After Bella left it took about ten minutes to bring everything upstairs and put it all together. It wasn't all that complicated. The most complicated part, in fact, was trying to figure out what sheets and blankets would be best for the bed. Judging by the time of the year and the thickness of the blanket, I went with white sheets and a blanket with blue flowers on it. It seemed like a good spring time choice. It seemed to glow in the room it was so bright in the dim light..

I laid in bed after that, listening to music and barely moving. It had been something I hadn't done in what seemed years, though I knew it hadn't been that long. There was no real human noises in the house. No heart beat, no breathing, nothing very comforting to me though. This time would be much better spent with Bella. But, she made everything that much better.

A few hours later, Bella finally returned. I could hear her quietly walking up the stairs, the sound of her heart pumping loudly in her chest. I couldn't hear the rustle of bags so I assumed Alice must have gotten them. She probably bought so many things for Bella that it filled up the entire trunk of whatever car she used.

Bella opened the door and came into the room with me without saying a word. She crawled onto the bed beside me, setting her head on my chest and rubbing her fingers over my stomach.

"If I didn't know better, I would have thought you were asleep," she said after a moment, her warm breath following over my neck. It felt amazing.

"It was something close," I answered back, kissing the top of her head gently. "Have a good time?"

"I was shopping, in that sense- no. But, I was with Alice and that was nice. I missed my sister."

"What did you guys get?" I smiled, rubbing my hand down her back.

"Too many things," Bella muttered, her heated skin pressed against my chest. She was blushing and I had to know why.

"What did you get, love?"

"Um..." she trailed up as she looked up at me, her face tomato red. "I think it's more for you than me."

"Oh," I said, my mind trailing off with the possibilities. "Do I get to see these items that are more for me than for you?"

"If we can get any time alone, yes," She said as she leaned up slightly, pressing a soft kiss on my lips.

"Oh," I laughed as I realized what my darling sister had forced Bella to buy. "So, when they leave... do I get a fashion show?"

"No," Bella shook her head quietly, her cheeks practically purple now. I couldn't help it, I laughed harder. "Edward," she growled, her face going into the pillow.

"Did she already make you try them on?" I asked into her ear as her face continued to bury itself into the feathers. She nodded, making a crinkling noise as she did so. "And how many things did she get me? Are you wearing one of them now?" I asked, playful running my hand over her bottom to feel for lace or silk.

She laughed into the pillow, shaking her head.

"Are you sure you're not? I think you're lying to me. I want to check!" I informed her, straddling her thighs from behind. With a gentle yank, I tried to pull her pants down. Bella squealed loudly into the pillow, laughing as she did. She hands slapped back at me, trying to get me to stop. I slid my hand down the back of her pants. "Hm, I THINK they're the same ones from earlier, but I can't be sure. These pants have to come off. And that shirt for good measure."

"Edward!" Bella laughingly yelled. I chuckled, getting off from on top of her and allowing her to roll over. Her hair was all over the place now and her eyes were wild with our moment of playfulness. She let out a huffing breath, yanking her pants into a better position before returning her attention back to me. "Alone. We have to be alone before I show you anything, mister."

"I'm going to kick them all out," I muttered as I laid beside her, this time placing my head on her chest. Bella's chest rumbled with the laughter that followed.

"We'll have our time," Bella assured me.

"That time won't come soon enough."

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**I'm on twitter, if you want to follow! Jayeliwood!**

**So, I'm trying to get a little more ahead with this story before I go on my vacation. My goal is to write a couple, if not more, chapters this week. We'll see how that goes. **

**Well, that's the story of Jasper! How do you think he did with her? Too harsh or was he just right?**


	20. School Day

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**I have an announcement at the bottom but I know you want to get to it so here it is....**

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**School Day**

Bella barely went home the next few days, not that I could really blame her. She stayed mostly in my- our- bed, just laying with me. We didn't want to leave each other's grasps, even if it was for her to eat or have one of her human moments. And sadly, we were never really alone. There was always someone here, even if it was just a wolf circling the house for protection. Bella didn't want anyone in on our private moments, not that I could blame her.

Surprisingly, Jacob and Rosalie actually worked out well as a team. They didn't chat or even talk to each other. I think they honestly communicated through grunts and growls- mainly on Rosalie's part.

Jacob had stayed in wolf form since the meeting the night at the house. Sam said he had him under control. If he didn't, I would take him out. I had no qualms about it at this point. He had hurt my love and I was not going to allow that.

But, a new challenge came. School. Carlisle had already gotten us signed up again and I was not looking forward to it at all. The only good thing was that Carlisle had arranged for us to have all of our classes together, even gym.

That would at least prove to be interesting.

Even with that, I had to keep reminding myself that it was only going to be a couple of months before we were done. Then, we would graduate. Maybe we'd even have Victoria taken care of by then and we could get the hell out of Forks.

Bella had stayed with me the night before, curled up at my side. She barely spoke in her sleep anymore, she just slept too hard. She did hum though, a quiet song that I didn't know. Her fingers knotted into my shirt and blankets, wrapping them tight around her body as she hummed the words to herself. I wondered what sort of dream she was having.

I had breakfast waiting for Bella downstairs when she got up. _Alice said that it'll be in about ten minutes_, Esme thought up at me from the kitchen. I whispered my thanks, careful not to wake her before she was ready. I always preferred to have Bella wake up on her own. It was so beautiful to see her try to cling to me, pretending to be asleep still so we could just stay cuddled together.

Slowly, the humming stopped and Bella smiled to herself as she relaxed against my chest. As her heart rate increased, so did her breathing. Her cheek pressed against me, like she was trying to coax herself back into sleep. Sadly, I couldn't allow that.

"What were you dreaming about?" I asked quietly, playing with her hair gently by twisting the strands between my fingertips.

Bella's eyes came open with a snap and I could tell her expression wasn't a good one. I instantly became concerned. "Bella, what is it?"

"I don't think you'll like my dream," she answered quietly, shaking her head. "I don't want to talk about it. It'll upset you."

"Don't worry about me. It seems to upset you though. It may make you feel better to talk about it," I offered but Bella crawled out of bed, shaking her head once again.

"It's the fact that it makes me happy, in the dream, that upsets me. Really, I don't want to talk about it. I'm going to go take a shower, okay?"

"Okay," I answered with a nod. I could tell instantly that she didn't want company so I didn't open my mouth. Instead, I went downstairs to bring her food up. I didn't think she was in the mood to be around anyone else, either.

"Morning," Alice chirped, dancing around the kitchen as she put things on a tray for Bella. She was becoming a regular Esme. But, for me at the moment it was far too cheerful.

"You could have warned me," I murmured as I put a few packets of sugar on the tray to go along with the coffee that was there. She had been craving it the past couple of days and been drinking it like crazy. I tried to limit her to no more than three cups a day but she didn't always listen to me.

"Warned you about what?" Alice asked in surprised, pushing the tray over at me. She didn't like what she considered my snotty attitude. I wasn't in the mood for hers either.

"Bella being upset."

"I didn't see her being upset," Alice knitted her eyebrows. "I just saw what time she'd be waking up. I can't see everything, Edward."

"I know that! That information just would have been helpful," I sighed as I turned and walked out of the kitchen.

"Bella's been through a lot lately, Edward," my sister reminded me quietly. "She's not always going to be all sunshine and roses, you know?"

"I do know that. I just don't like it," I told her truthfully before going up to my room. I set the food on the bedside table, sitting on the bed to wait for her.

Her hair was still wet and tangled when she came out of the bathroom, not bothering to blow dry it today. She grabbed her brush from the desk and began to brush it slowly, the towel still wrapped around her body. "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier," she said after a moment.

Instead of accepting her apology, I gave my own. "I'm sorry I pushed you. I shouldn't have. I saw that you were uncomfortable and I should have known better. You just... confused me, and I wanted to know. I shouldn't let my curiosity get the better of me."

"It's normal to be curious. I'm sorry I was so cryptic about it. It's just... I really don't want to talk about it. It's unnecessary and kind of stupid."

"Nothing is stupid," I assured her. "And stop apologizing. You have nothing to apologize for."

"Sorry," she whispered quietly before coming to sit on my lap. I wrapped my arms around her waist, rubbing my face against her shoulder. She sighed softly, picking up one of the bagels on the plate. "Thanks for the food."

"I just carried it up here," I told her truthfully. I took the brush that she had placed in her lap and began to brush her hair as she ate. She relaxed against me, her damp body pressing against my chest. Feeling her like this was so nice. It was so relaxing. Her skin was ultra warm after the shower, the fresh scent of shampoo floating through the air. "Would it be horrible if I didn't want to go to school today? That I would much prefer laying in bed with you all day while they're all gone."

Bella gave a little sigh, putting the bagel down and took a sip of her coffee. "That would be nice. I wouldn't mind going back to sleep."

"Sleep wasn't exactly what I had in mind," I breathed against her neck. Bella shuddered delicately against me before slowly turning, wrapping her arms around my neck. Without a single word, she kissed me. "We're going to be late if you do that," I breathed against her lips.

Instead of answering, she pulled the towel away from her body and dropped it to the floor. "Late it is," I breathed as she began to kiss my neck.

As much as I wanted to be late though, Esme wasn't going to allow that. She literally bugged me enough through mental commentary until I finally snapped, yelling from my room even if I didn't need to. "FINE! Yes! We're getting ready to go. Thank you, mother!"

Bella snickered quietly, rolling onto her back off of my bare chest. I grumbled, rolling on top of her. Her legs wrapped around my pants covered waist, pulling me down towards her. "We really should get ready."

"I'm suppose to be the responsible one and I don't want to be," I pouted at her slightly. "And I don't want you to be either right now."

"Later," she promised me, rubbing my back gently. When I didn't move, she pressed her hips up into mine gently. I took in a deep breath, losing myself in the feeling of her for a second. The scent of her arousal drifted past my nose. "It'll be better later when we don't have to worry about rushing."

"It'll be fantastic right now," I assured her, not exactly sure what was coming over me. Perhaps it was the fear of what was going to happen at school, the worry. I knew we could be safe here, in a manner of speaking. We weren't in physical danger at school, but I wasn't sure what the mental effects would be.

"You're right," Bella hummed quietly, rubbing her hand over my blue jean covered erection. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as she gripped me, the warmth sinking in through the jeans. She gently pushed me with her other hand, making me go onto my back. She continued to rub me for a moment before kissing my ear. "It would be fantastic. But, I need to get dressed."

And then she practically danced away from the bed.

I stared at her in shock for a few moments. "That was a dirty trick."

Bella giggled as she wiggled her panties up her hips. That was worse than a dirty trick. It was a cruel one. I was going to be aching all day now. I threw myself out of bed and rushed to get dressed. Bella barely had her jeans on when I was done. I began to walk past her to grab my wallet and keys but she grabbed my arm. "I'll make it up to you later."

"I know," I gave her a slight smile.

"We'll probably need it after school today. Just to relax," she breathed softly, picking up a white button down shirt of hers. She slipped her arms inside and I took over with the buttons. I brought my fingers to her chin, pulling it up slowly. I gazed into her eyes.

"Everything will be fine," I assured her quietly. Maybe I was assuring myself more so.

"I know," she leaned up, lightly kissing my lips. "Come on now, before we're late."

I tried to tune out all the thoughts and words that flowed past the lips of everyone there as they spoke, knowing that they were all about me and my family, but it didn't work very well. They were so loud, calling my name over and over again, that it was like the humming flap of a hummingbirds wings. It was actually a little painful. When we parked I covered my ears with a hiss like it would actually do something.

It was going to be a long day.

"Edward?" Bella asked quietly, touching my arm. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," I grunted out. "Lets get this over with, shall we?"

I got out of the car slowly, going to the other side to open Bella's door. She took my hand as she stood, looking up at me with concern. Alice came out of Rosalie's BMW beside me, Rose actually letting her borrow it for school. Alice looked over at me before looking back at the school.

_Good luck today,_ she thought towards me._ You're going to need it. _

"How many people am I going to kill?" I growled under my breath so quietly that Bella couldn't hear.

Alice sighed, rubbing my shoulder before repeating the words; _good luck. _

Oh, fantastic. It was going to be one of those days.

People gawked openly at me and Bella, some of their thoughts curious while others were just cruel. I could already see the rumors begin to fly.

Bella must be pregnant.

Bella must have bribed me in some way.

Everyone saw how Bella became a zombie. Maybe she threatened to kill herself if I didn't come back.

That one hit home a little bit. She never threatened me directly with it. She was never threatening it at all. She just wanted to end her own pain, even if she wasn't sure of that at the time. I gave a little sigh and wrapped my arm tighter around Bella's waist.

"It's going to be okay, sweetheart," Bella whispered to me quietly, feeling my frustration. I gave her a small smile and leaned over to kiss the top of her head.

"Bella!" Angela practically chirped when Bella came into sight. She was just happy to see her friend happy once again. Her sadness frightened her. Then she saw the reason why. _Oh, Edward's back! I guess his father got a better offer at the hospital. Well, that's nice. They both seem happy to be back together. _

This girl was going to earn a great reward for her internal kindness one day. I was going to make sure of that.

"Hey, Angela!" Bella smiled, leaning into me a bit. "How are you?"

"Great! Welcome back, Edward," she smiled at me. Though I still made her nervous it wasn't nearly as bad as it was before. She saw the kindness in me. She saw the gentleness that Bella brought out in me.

"Thank you. It's nice to be back," I assured her, giving Bella another kiss on the top of her head.

Before there could be any more conversation the early morning warning bell went off. It was time to play the student once more.

I promised myself that when I finished high school this time I was taking at least a five year break before I did it again. I could probably pass for up to twenty six, maybe even twenty seven if I really pushed it. Bella and I could be the married couple for a while.

That was a nice thought.

Sadly, all nice thoughts were blown away when class started. I wish that all people were as kind and as generous as Angela, but they weren't. There was anger from the boys, and even some of the male teachers, at my return. They were jealous at how the girls at the school felt about me. There was jealousy from the girls, all of which was directed at Bella. There was annoyance as well.

Couldn't anyone just be happy that we were happy? It seemed only Angela, Ben, and my own family was. And even then, Rosalie wasn't.

It made me feel like pulling my hair out by the roots.

But, every time I had this extreme frustration, Bella sensed it. She'd rub my knee or steal a kiss, or even give me a hug. Just a gentle smile would relieve some of my tension.

I think the worst part of the day was during gym class. Of course I couldn't go into the locker room with her to change. That's when the venomous snakes known as Jessica and Lauren attacked her.

"_So, how ever did you get him back?" Lauren asked as she glopped lip gloss onto her lips. I had no idea why she felt like she needed it. She was about to exercise. Stupid vein child. _

_Bella stiffened in the mirror, her reflection in Lauren's mind. "What do you mean?"_

"_How did you get him to come back to Forks?" She smirked, rolling her eyes at what she considered Bella's_ _thickness. Bella was trying to play stupid on purpose, I could tell that easily. _

"_Bella, are you knocked up?" Jessica said with fake concern. She was literally foaming at the mouth for some sort of gossip on this. I don't think it really mattered in the end. She would end up telling whatever she wanted. _

"_God! Of course not!" Bella scoffed, washing her hands and rubbing cool water over the back of her neck. Her skin was a fiery red. Poor thing. She needed to get out of there. "Look, Edward's back because he wants to be back. I didn't force him to. We just missed each other."_

With that, Bella stomped out of the locker room and onto the gym floor. Lauren snorted and rolled her eyes, whispering _whatever_ to herself. Jessica just went back to thinking of ways to make it all the more interesting.

I wrapped my arms around Bella's waist, pulling her in for a strong hug. She looked up at me and sighed. Neither of us had to say a word. "One more hour," I assured her. "That's it. Then we're going home."

I know it would be cruel to admit, but I sort of helped balls fly in the directions of Lauren and Jessica's head. They got thumped on the back of the head twice each, neither of them realizing either time that I was the source. I didn't do it that hard. Just hard enough to cause them each blaring headaches.

It served them right.

Bella, of course, realized.

"You can be so mean," Bella laughed as she wrapped her arm around mine as we walked out towards the car. I was so glad that the day was over. It was almost a little freeing.

"I don't know what you mean," I smiled at her innocently. She wasn't fooled in the least. Bella giggled lightly, bumping her hip into my own.

"Oh yeah, you are so innocent. Like a newborn babe," Bella answered sarcastically. "Pure as snow."

"I certainly wouldn't say either of those things," I whispered into her ear. "I'm anything but pure."

Bella heated up under my touch. Alice, which I just realized was beside us, stiffened and her eyes glazed over. I laughed at what she saw and the face that she made to go along with it. "Ew, okay! I'll make sure everyone is out of the house for a couple of hours. Have fun," she muttered with a delicate shudder. It wasn't that she was against sex, she just didn't want to think about her sister and her brother going at it like what she considered rabbits.

Such a ladylike phrase.

Bella's skin heated even more and I chuckled. "Thanks, sis. You better make it three." Bella's head whirled around, her cheeks the shade of ripe bing cherries. She bit her bottom lip, practically walking into the front end of the car. I laughed again, feeling a lot lighter now knowing that we were going to be alone. I opened the door for her and just before she slipped inside I whispered in her ear. "We're going to need every second of it."

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**Well, I wanted to let you know that I have finished writing this story and I only have to do the epilogue now! That means there are only five chapters left, plus the epilogue. Since I got it all finished up, I'm going to start posting every other day but ONLY if you guys are really nice! (pouty face) I hurried just so I could finish this story before my birthday. **

**I want you guys to just bare with me towards the end. Trust me. The ending is worth it. **

**Who wants to beat that bitch Lauren and Jessica up?**


	21. Alone

**I want to thank everyone for the amazing response to last chapter. Keep it coming and I'll keep the chapters coming fast.**

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**Alone**

I drove slowly to allow time for Alice to get home before us. She was talking on the phone, telling everyone to evacuate the house if they knew what was good for them. I smirked at her choice of words. Rosalie and Emmett were already out of the house, along with Carlisle so it made it pretty easy all the way around. Before she completely went out of my mental range, I heard her call to me.

_All clear for at least three hours. Enjoy yourselves_.

I smiled to myself, reaching over to take Bella's hand into my own. It was so so soft and warm, tiny in the palm of my ice cold hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze, looking out the window as she did. "You seem quiet," I commented.

"Just thinking is all," she answered, her cheeks flushing a slight pink shade of rose. She knew that I was going to ask about what and she decided to go ahead and answer the question for me. It made things go by all that much quicker for the both of us. "We've never exactly planned it out like this before. Everyone knows exactly what we'll be doing."

"Love," I said in a happy little voice that I couldn't hide if I wanted to. "We're going to be married. They knew what was happening before."

"This is different!" She said in a high pitched voice that was far too adorable. Of all the absurd things she could say though. How could is possibly be different? This I would have to know for sure.

"How so?" I smirked at the question as it left my lips.

"Just is," Bella pouted a little bit as she answered, her cheeks turning a deeper shade. "It's a little embarrassing."

"If you don't want to, of course we don't have to do anything, my love," I assured her. I would, of course, respect her wishes even if I was a little disappointed at not being able to. Now that we started to make love, it was hard for me to stop. I always wanted to be within her wet folds and kissing her delicious body. Having time alone with her would be just as good though. Being with Bella in any form was heaven in my books.

Bella sighed beside me. "I'm just not use to it, that's all. I didn't say I didn't want to. I always want you, Edward," she assured me sweetly, leaning over to kiss my neck lightly. I sighed deeply, enjoying the sensation as I tilted my head slightly to the side to give her better access. Her lips traveled over my skin for a few long and wonderful moments while her hand ran up and down my thigh slowly.

She was teasing me on purpose but I don't think she knew the power she had over me. I felt as if I was about to attack her. No, that was the wrong word. I was going to ravage her, make her feel every bit as good as she was making me feel at the moment. But, I wanted to do this slowly. I didn't want it to end too quickly.

I stopped the car in front of the house, killing the engine. Bella unbuckled her seatbelt and turned towards me, running her fingers through my hair at a leisurely pace. I brought my hand to the back of her neck, pulling her in for a soft but passionate kiss. She hummed quietly against my mouth, sliding into my lap as we continued to kiss. "I love you," I whispered against her lips.

"Edward," she gasped as my hand dragged over her upper thigh. Her head leaned back slowly as my lips traveled over her jaw and down the sloping column of soft flesh. "I love you, too. Take me upstairs," she begged in a breathless voice. She would never have to tell me that twice, that's for sure.

I was out of the car and up the stairs so quickly that Bella gasped, her arms encircling me tightly in a way to stay attached. She had nothing to fear though. I had her tightly in my arms. I was completely unwilling to let her go at the moment. Truthfully, I was always unwilling to let her go. She belonged in my arms, always. They were built just to hold her, and to keep her safe always.

I laid her out on our bed, making sure the door was shut behind us before leaning over her tiny warm body. Though we may have had three hours, I didn't want anyone to accidentally walk in on something. I don't think Bella could have stood the embarrassment, nor I the teasing that would ensue if it Jasper or Emmett.

Her heart beat was going a million miles an hour, her face and neck flushed with a color so beautiful that it made me want to lick and taste every inch of rose colored skin. She panted, her sweet warm breath flowing over my face like a drug. I breathed in deeply, letting it spread through out me. Her fingers brushed over my face as I kissed down her chest and over her stomach lightly. I slid her shirt upwards, kissing the flesh lightly.

I looked at the toned flesh of her stomach. It was smooth and perfectly flat. Looking at it made me realize something that I hated myself for. Bella noticed my pause and forced me to look up at her with her fingers. "What's the matter?"

"You're giving up so much to be with me. I wish that we- that I- could give you everything in this world but I can't. As much as I wish I could see your stomach swollen with my child, it never will be. I'm taking away that chance." The words sounded so sad to my ears, and they were. Pathetic that I could think that I could give her everything in this world. That's what I was. I was a pathetic and selfish creature to keep her all to myself but I knew that was a fight I would lose over and over again. I needed her and she, for some unfathomable reason, needed me as well.

"Edward, love, children don't matter. Only having you matters to me," she tried to assure me. I wasn't having any of it though. All her words were falling on deaf ears.

"But what about in ten years? Twenty years? A thousand years? Will you regret never having children?" I asked of her quietly. I knew that I would always regret never giving her a child. Would she resent me one day for being unable to?

Bella sat up and I moved back to give herself more room. With the softest lips she kissed me, running her fingers up and down my back so soothingly. It felt so good and it distracted a little from my melancholy. "Edward, all I need in this life is you. If you were human, I would love to give you children but truthfully, it doesn't matter to me. It never mattered to me and never ever will. Edward, I will never regret being with you and all that comes with it."

Bella pushed me back onto the bed and allowed her to take over. I needed her to take charge of this moment. I needed to be reassured of her love. Slowly she kissed me, making me feel warm and safe with her love and with every single breath she took. With gentle touches and loving kisses, we used up every single second of that three hours and then some.

I was selfish to keep her to myself, but when she gave so freely, it was hard not to take. And gave she did, over and over again. And even after that night, she continued to give me herself.

And then a month past.

School, runs, protection, worry and then it started all over again with each sunrise. It was starting to get to everyone, but most of all, it was starting to get to Bella.

It was late evening on a weekend and I watched with frustration as Bella ran to the bathroom yet again. Literally ran. It was the fourth time she had thrown up this week. The stress was taking a toll on her body in a very literal fashion. She was uncomfortable and usually sick to stomach, and she was always tired. I was unsure what to do. She tried to stay strong but I could see the illness fill her cheeks with a green color. Also, her eyes were not as bright as they once were. I could see the light drain from her body.

We needed to find Victoria as soon as possible and take care of her before the stress killed Bella.

Another two people had gone missing in Seattle, no telling how many the papers didn't know about. Her army was increasing by the day. We stepped up our patrols but we didn't get very many hits or clues. She was staying her distance from Forks until she was ready. She was playing a dangerous game and she did not know who she was playing with.

I was going to rip her body to shreds with my bare hands for doing this to Bella and my family.

I went into the bathroom after Bella, giving her a minute to throw up on her own. She hated how I insisted I went in there to hold her hair and wash her up afterwards. I told her it was my job but it embarrassed her. Bella said that this never in the job description and for me to get out of the bathroom.

Of course, I never did.

She heaved into the toilet bowl, sweat forming at her temples. I had already braided her hair back so she wouldn't throw up in it. I rubbed my cold hand over the back of her neck as she finished, resting her forehead on the rim.

"Kill me now," she muttered, gasping for air after another round. She didn't have much else to throw up in her stomach. Hopefully Bella would finish soon. Dry heaves were the worst to listen to.

"Tomorrow I'm going to make Carlisle give you some test. This is got to be more than stressed," I sighed out. Carlisle heard my words from his study and agreed to them. He was starting to wonder himself but he wasn't going to butt into what he considered our business. Besides, he knew how Bella hated blood and needles. He didn't want to give her any more to worry about.

"Edward, I'll be-" Bella began to speak but she cut herself off when she started throwing up again. When she pulled back she sighed, closing the lid and flushing the toilet with a finality. "Fine. Tomorrow after lunch. Now, can you give me a few minutes to get cleaned up?"

I sighed at her frustration at me. She knew I just cared about her well being but throwing up always made her moody. Not that I could blame her about that, of course. I nodded, standing up knowing that there was no point in arguing with her at this point in time. I had gotten what I wanted already, there was no need to push matters.

I went down to Carlisle's study to give her the privacy she craved. Hearing the shower start, I figured she was feeling at least a little bit better and was well enough to stand. Carlisle was waiting for me, taking down a list of items. I walked over to him, coming to stand behind him. It was a list of test for Bella.

"Do you really think all of that is necessary?" I asked. Some of his tests were just impossible, but simple to test for. I guess it didn't hurt to check but it seemed overkill.

"Better safe that sorry. You do remember that you have run tomorrow?" He asked even though he didn't have to, adding a few more items from the list. He was going to have to take a lot of blood to test for all of that. I grimaced at the thought of them sticking poor Bella without me being there to comfort her in the process.

"Yes, I remember. Do you think...?" I trailed off but stopped when I saw Carlisle's face. I was going to ask if I could get out of it but the frustration in his eyes cut me off.

"This is as much about your safety as it is Bella's and our family. I know you'd rather stay with her and protect her but I promise you she'll be in safe hands tomorrow. Twelve hours apart won't kill you."

"You say that," I smirked, taking the pen and adding one more test. I had spent a lot of time in the forest and there was no telling what I had tracked along with me. He nodded his head in agreement and folded the note into his pocket.

There were at least forty different things they were going to test for right off the bat.

"I'm going to give this list to the nurse tonight so she'll have everything set up for tomorrow. I wanted it all done as soon as possible," Carlisle said as he stood up to go to work. I felt bad for him. All he seem to do now was do runs and work. He and Esme would need a private vacation in their island after this. Hell, we all would.

"Thanks, dad," I said quietly as he began to walk out.

_We all love, Bella. We all worry about her, just as much as you do._

"I hardly believe that," I smiled at him. He gave me a warm one back before going downstairs to give Esme a kiss goodbye.

I made my way back upstairs just in time for Bella to get out of the shower. She seemed so tired, the circles under her eyes almost a dark a purple as my own. She could practically pass for a vampire herself, if it weren't from the sweat she was produce. She crawled into the bed, still wrapped only in a towel. I crawled in beside her, only to feel disappointment when she rolled away from me.

"Don't look at me."

"Why would you say that?" I couldn't hide the little bit of heartbreak in my voice as I said that.

"Because, I feel and look disgusting. Edward, I'm so tired. How can you stand to be around me?" She asked in an almost angry voice. Bella pulled at a string on the blanket, her knees drawn up to her stomach.

"You could never be disgusting, ever. I promise you," I told her as I rolled her over to look at me. I let my hands sweep down her arms to her hands, taking them in my own. "You just don't feel well. That is not your fault."

She curled into my body. "I feel awful."

I sighed, kissing the top of her head. "Carlisle will figure it out and he'll make it all better. You should eat something right now though. That'll make you feel better."

I heard her gag at the sound of eating. I decided not to push the matter. I would keep a strong eye on her to make sure she didn't get dehydrated or anything. With my cool arms wrapped around her body, she fell into an uneasy sleep.

I left around four in the morning. This was not how I wanted to spend my Sunday. Sam waited for me at the door in wolf form. He looked at me meaningful, his mental words clear._ Where do we run to today?_

"We'll make a couple circles around Seattle. Visit the areas where the missing would have most likely been taken," I informed him. He huffed, letting a hot breath before nodding his large head. I looked out into the woods. Emmett was somewhere out there right now, protecting the house with Paul. I knew Bella was safe and yet I still didn't want to leave. I gave a heavy sigh, "shall we?"

_Lead the way, Cullen. _

We didn't smell a single thing until we reached Seattle. I moved through the streets while Sam searched the suburbs. After a couple hours, I joined him. It wasn't until we hit a camping area that I smelt it.

Sugary sweet. Sam gave a high pitched whine, smelling it as well. We decided to take a look around, looking at the what appeared to be an abandoned camp site. Someone who didn't know any better wouldn't notice anything, but I did. I knew the signs. I could smell it and the trail was fresh.

"Two humans. I think she killed one of them though. Can you smell the death?" I asked him. He gave another whine along with a nod. "It's fresh."

I began to follow the scent, running at top speeds as I tried to catch up with her. Could this truly be over today? Could Sam and I end this so quickly? The newborns might be a problem but if we took out Victoria then we could call the rest of the pack and the family to take care of the newborns.

I began to run faster and faster into the west, the scent of struggle and vampire filling the area. I felt myself become more and more excited at the thought of this, Sam barely able to keep up with me.

And then I came to a dead end. Water. Not just water. The ocean.

"SON OF A BITCH!" I shouted angrily, kicking dirt and grass into the ocean over the steep cliff. The scent went directly into the water below. She could have gone in any direction.

_I'll take the north and you take the south_, Sam's calm thoughts broke into my own.

I opened my mouth to answer but stopped at the buzzing in my pocket. Pulling out the silver device, I glanced at the time. It was just after one. It was Carlisle, most likely calling to tell me about Bella. Maybe he figured out what was wrong with her. This could be good news, I suppose. I brought my finger up, bringing the device to my ear. "Yes?"

"Edward. Come to the hospital now. We need to talk."

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**OKAY OKAY OKAY... I know some of you are mad at me. Can I just say one thing in my defense? I'M NOT STEPHAINE MEYER! Trust me on this. I'll make it good. I've done everything right so far, haven't I? Or well, close enough? She could have cancer, she could be pregnant, she could have an infection. She could have a lot of things. Just, trust me, k? **

**If you want to find out what's up with Bella, review! I promise to get the chapter out on Saturday if you give me loads of love. I'm still working on the epilogue. **

**On twitter, if you want to follow! Jayeliwood. **

**Who thinks Victoria is toying with Edward and the gang?**


	22. Dr Carlisle Cullen

**Thanks for the amazing response last chapter! Because of it, I'm posting a little early! Keep it up!**

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**Dr. Carlisle Cullen**

I ran back to Forks after that, Sam trailing behind before losing him completely. He asked me what was wrong, but I wasn't sure. Carlisle wouldn't say anything else besides 'this isn't something to discuss over the phone.' What the hell did that exactly mean? Was he trying to scared me? He tried to reassure me that Bella was alright, but alright was not good enough for me. His tone scared me.

I ran up to the hospital, simply glad that it was a rainy day around Forks. Not surprising though. I made my way up to the floor that Carlisle's office was on, trying to hear Bella's voice or Carlisle's thoughts. I heard none but I could sense him blocking me out. I did not like that in the least.

I heard a nurse call a hello to me but I didn't respond back as I opened Carlisle's door. He knew I was coming and there was no need to knock. I also knew right then that I was looking less than human and more like wet drowned angry vampire cat.

"Carlisle, what is going on?" I demanded. It was my automatic place to jump to the defensive where Bella was concerned.

"Sit down, son. We need to talk."

"Where is Bella?" I asked, ignoring his suggestion.

"She's at home with Esme, getting some rest. She wasn't feel very well after her test," he explained. He motioned at a seat, his voice a little more firm this time. "Sit down, Edward."

I sat slowly, trying very hard not to warp the metal of the chair with my firm grip. Carlisle's mind was completely blank to me, giving me no clues. "Is it that bad?" I asked.

"It all depends on how you look at it," he said, his fingers forming a steeple.

"Please don't dance around this. If there is something wrong with Bella I need to know now and know what I need to do about it," I all but growled.

"There is nothing wrong with her, per say."

"Then do you know what is happening with her?" I demanded, getting more and more frustrated by the moment.

"Yes, I do," he said simply in a calm voice. Still his mind gave nothing away to me.

"Then tell me!" I growled at him this time, standing up to lean over the desk. I was about to yank the answer from his lips if he did not tell me soon. Of course, Carlisle wasn't worried about me. Not like that anyway. His mind demanded that I sit down again, that I would need to.

I plopped down into the chair, crossing my arms like an angry child. "Edward, Bella is about six weeks pregnant."

"Excuse me?"

I must have heard him wrong. I must have. There was no way. She had been with no one else.

She... had... been... She was a virgin. I had taken her virginity. My mind was beginning to shut down.

"Edward, she's pregnant. I know you two have been sexually active, but in all fairness you know I must ask just to make sure. You were her first and only?" His voice was a haze in my clouded mind.

"Yes," I breathed.

"This child is yours then."

How could he say that so easily? She could not get pregnant by me. But, I knew it had to be true because I knew for a fact that she had been with no one else, ever. She had barely hugged Jacob while she thought I was gone.

Then other thoughts came to mind. If she was pregnant by me then this... this _thing_... it couldn't be healthy for her. It had to be evil.

"We have to get the demon out of her," I said as I leaped out of my chair and made my way towards the door. Carlisle stopped me, grabbing my arm before I could leave. "Let me go. I need to get to her."

"She doesn't know yet, Edward. I haven't told her. I thought I would tell you first. It's not a demon, it's a child," he tried to correct me, but I shook my head.

"It will kill her," I breathed, fear filling my every pore.

"We don't know that," Carlisle said firmly.

"It's already making her sick!" I all but yelled at him. "We have to take care of it before it hurts her anymore."

"This is your child you're talking about and you're so ready to kill it? I believe I know why she's so ill, or at least part of the reason. Just sit down before I make you sit. We need to talk about this and what it means," Carlisle said in a voice of which belonged to a leader. He glared at me until I submitted, pushing me back into the chair.

I licked my lips as I brought my head between my knees, running my fingers through my hair. I felt as if I had eaten human food and I needed to bring it back up. "Carlisle, oh my god, what do we do?"

"That's up to Bella. It's her body," Carlisle said as he sat down. "I respect her wishes either way."

"So, if she wants to die you're just going to let her?" I snapped.

"I don't believe it will kill her, Edward. I've done some research. It is rare, but there have been some pregnancies reported. It's always vampire males and human females. It does sometimes, but with the unique medical care I can provide I believe she'll be able to survive it."

"Survive it?" I laughed without humor. "She is nothing but skin and bones as it is! Her body is weak. Bella can barely get out of bed."

"Part of that could be from normal morning sickness, son. But also... think about it... That baby is part human but what is the other part?" He said, leading me along like I was a child.

"Vampire, of course," I rolled my eyes.

"Exactly. And what does a vampire need to be healthy?" He said, rolling his hand to usher me along.

"Blood. _Blood_... oh my, do you think she'll need to...?"

"I think she'll need to consume blood to stay healthy. The baby feeds off of what she eats. It needs blood so she'll need to intake it. It just makes sense. Edward, I didn't do any other tests because I didn't want to alert her until I told you about this. I didn't want you to scare her. And you will scare her if you act like this."

"What do you mean?"

"What if she wants this baby?" He said in a gentle voice.

"She said she never wanted kids," I answered, leaning back in my chair and looking at the ceiling.

"No, that's not the only thing she's said. I heard her talking to Alice some time ago. She was worried and upset. She knew you wanted a child of your own one day and she was upset that she couldn't give it to you. That she'd wanted to. Edward, this is your child."

"It's a monster," I breathed.

"All are born innocent. Would you call yourself a monster?" He asked me.

"Yes!" I answered back quickly.

"And me? Esme? Alice perhaps? Are they monsters as well? Tell me you truly believe your mother is a monster and I will take care of this pregnancy without another word."

There was silence. He got me and he knew it. Esme, no matter what she was, could never ever be considered a monster. She loved too much to be so.

"That's what I thought," he looked at me. "I'm bringing home human blood from the bank downstairs. It'll be stronger than animal blood and taste better, I'm betting. She hasn't had much of a taste for food lately. Perhaps we could mix it in something?" He said, standing up from his chair.

"I can't believe this," I uttered, standing up.

"Edward, I'm not telling you all this to scare you. I'm telling you this so you'll be prepared. You need to be supportive of Bella, no matter what she decides. Do not go in there spouting about demons and murder, do you understand me? Bella will be safe, no matter what. If you do go in there and scare her, I will have Jasper and Emmett, and probably Alice, take you outside. Bella has enough to be afraid of right now without her fearing that you'll hate her and her unborn _demon_ child."

"I could never hate her," I breathed, shocked at his words.

"But that is how she'll feel if she feels you hate what you've created together. Be the loving and supporting husband, Edward. That is what she'll need," Carlisle said as he touched my shoulder. I nodded my head in agreement. He was right. I didn't need scare Bella right now and if Carlisle could believe that she would be fine no matter what, than perhaps it would be. Besides, we needed to do more tests anyway. Perhaps the problem could take care of itself.

Carlisle handed me his keys. "I'll meet you in the car. What do you think? One of each type to start with to see what she likes?"

"How would you know? You've never had human blood before," I muttered quietly as he opened the door. As he walked down the hall, I remembered something. "Anything but B+."

"Why?" He asked with narrowed eyes.

"That's Bella's blood type."

Carlisle nodded his head swiftly before running in the opposite direction. I took my sweet time to get to the car, knowing he would take a few minutes. I had to let everything filter through. I had to calm myself down. Carlisle was right. I needed to let Bella decide this point.

I had heard of legends, woman claiming to having vampire babies but it seemed stupid and I knew no one personally. I don't think the Volturi knew either otherwise they would have been experimenting with that.

The Volturi could know about none of this. Bella's pregnancy made the Victoria situation all that more urgent. We had to take care of her before she drew attention upon us. I leaned against the hood of the Mercedes, running my fingers through my hair as I tried to think of how I was going to talk to Bella about this.

Carlisle came, walking at a swift human speed with a small blue cooler. I tossed him his keys, not really in the mood to drive. He caught them easily, allowing me to slip into the passenger side. As soon as I sat down, I placed my face in my hands.

"How am I going to tell Bella?" I begged of him some sort of helpful knowledge. "I mean, can it be nothing else?"

"Edward, her hormone levels are so high. I seriously doubt it. But think. When was the last time she had a cycle?" He asked me.

I hadn't even realized it. It was one of the few things I didn't keep a good track on because I didn't think I needed to. I see I was wrong now. "A week before she jumped. Well, nine days."

"Exactly..." He sighed. "Tomorrow we'll do an ultra sound. I'll bring a machine to the house so she won't have to miss any school."

"School, shit," I cursed, not even thinking about that. I felt so scatter brained. Carlisle reached over and gently squeezed my hand as he tugged it away from my face.

"Never thought you'd be a teenage father, did you?"

I looked up swiftly, gazing at his teasing smirk. "This is no time to joke, Carlisle," I scolded him.

"Edward, she will be fine. All will be fine. We'll do some more research on the subject and keep a close eye on Bella."

"I have not only damned my beloved to hell but my child as well."

Carlisle pulled over to the side of the road as soon as the words left my mouth. "Stop this! Honestly, Edward. Is this not what you always wanted? A wife and a child? A human life? You're getting it. It may not be exactly the way you wanted it, but you are. Now you are letting fear cloud the fact that a miracle has occurred. Stop this now before you upset Bella. So help me if something happens to this baby because you scare her, make her even more stressed out, or upset her in any way I will take you in the backyard and-" he stopped talking, giving me a very menacing look. "You are going to have something in this family that no one of us have. You will have a child. Only Esme has known that kind of love and it was ripped away from her. Show a little more tact and respect for that. If Bella doesn't want this baby, which I seriously doubt she won't, then we will find a way to make this pregnancy go away but not because you're scared."

"I'm sorry," I whispered as he pulled back onto the road. I didn't know what else to say.

"Be what Bella needs right now. I have a strong feeling that you're opinion on this matter will change with time. Now, call Alice. I know she's at the house."

"Do any of them know what's going on?" I asked quietly as I pulled the phone from my pocket.

"No. Just make sure everyone is gone while we tell her, except for Jasper. Make sure he's within range if we need to calm her down," he said, gripping the steering wheel slightly tighter.

"Rosalie and Emmett are already on runs," I commented.

"Good. That'll make things easier," he sighed in relief. "Rosalie is going to be devastated."

I sighed in frustrated, leaning my head back. "She's going to destroy the house."

"We will deal with her later. Just call and have everyone out of range except for Jasper. Bella will need a few minutes to process exactly what's going on."

"Right," I nodded, taking in a deep breath. I dialed Esme's cell, feeling she'd be the most understanding. Alice would want to be there if she sensed something was wrong. Esme agreed quickly, able to tell by the tone of my voice that I was serious about this. She was a good woman, and very helpful.

We were silent the rest of the ride. I couldn't talk. I didn't want to talk. It was too hard to. I had too many thoughts to shift through. When we pulled up by the house it was easy to tell that it was empty except for Bella and Esme. Jasper was in the woods, staying out of sight, per Esme's request. The TV was going in the living room and I'd bet anything that Bella was laying on the couch.

As soon as we opened the front door, Esme was there. She questioned me with her thoughts and her eyes but I just shook my head, not ready to talk about it yet. My mother pressed a soft kiss to my cheek before running out into the woods for a hunt. It would be time for her run soon anyway.

"Edward?" Bella called quietly.

I was at her side in a moment, sitting next to the couch where she laid watching television. She rose up slowly, looking concerned. I took her hand, lightly kissing it.

Carlisle came from the kitchen where he deposited the blood in the refrigerator. He sat in the love seat across from us, pursing his lips in question. _Do you want me to start?_

I nodded my head slowly, moving to sit on the couch as Bella sat up. She sank against me, feeling so warm. I wrapped an arm around her, my hand going to her stomach. It was so smooth, flat and firm underneath my touch.

"The results of a lot of your tests came back," Carlisle said without any preamble. "Almost all were negative, except for one."

Bella looked between us, "what's wrong with me?"

"There is nothing wrong, Bella. As a matter of fact, some of us would consider it a miracle," he looked at me pointedly. "Bella, you're pregnant."

"Excuse me?" She stuttered out, looking at me and then Carlisle. "How?"

"That's a little obvious, now isn't it?" Carlisle gave her a reassuring smile. "From the hormone levels in your blood, I suspect just over six weeks."

"I'm pregnant," Bella whispered, placing her hand over my own on her stomach.

"Bella, I know you are young and I want to give you the option. If you'd like me to abort the baby, then I will. But, it's completely and totally up to you," Carlisle said in a soft voice, looking over at me quickly before looking back to Bella. He didn't want me to say something stupid. I kept my mouth shut, my lips pressed tightly together.

"No! No, no, no..." Bella shook her head before looking at me, a weird expression on her face. She was... _smiling_. How could she be smiling? How could she be happy? Was she about to go into shock? Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck, throwing herself at me. "Oh, that explains so many things! Edward! You've given me so much and now... now I can give you something."

"Bella..." I breathed out but I saw my father give me a hard look._ Speak wisely_, he told me. "Bella, if you don't want to carry this child, I understand. You don't have to do this for me. Please don't feel that way."

"Are you kidding me? This... this is so amazing! I can't believe it!" She cupped my face, kissing me firmly. Warm tears fell down her cheeks, a huge smile over her face.

My arms went around her body, holding her tightly. We kissed for a long moment before I pulled away to press a kiss to her forehead. I looked over the top of Bella's head at Carlisle who had a smile on his face as well. Was I the only one that was seeing how ill this was making Bella? I laid my cheek on the top of her head, closing my eyes.

_Edward, this will be a good thing. Trust me._ "Bella, we'll have to get you started on vitamins. I have some that I brought from the hospital. Also, we're going to try something a little different. Do you trust me?"

"Of course, I do!" She giggled. "I'll do anything you need."

"Alright, Edward... why don't you help me get Bella a smoothie? We need to increase her caloric intake. That should be easy enough for her to keep down," Carlisle announced as he stood. Slowly, I released Bella though I didn't want to. The only place I felt like I could keep her safe was there.

I had such a bad feeling about this.

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**Okay, for those of you who said that you would stop reading this story if she was pregnant. I'm sorry you feel that way but I said from the very beginning that this story was canon, which means if it happens in the books it happens in this story. I feel sorry to lose you as a reader but I am sticking with my plans. All I can say is trust me. **

**First off. Carlisle is a smart cookie. I felt that it was out of character for him in Breaking dawn to NOT figure out that she would need blood. I'm sorry, it just makes sense. Also, if she had blood from the very beginning it is VERY likely that it would have changed the pregnancy itself. **

**Second, Edward's reaction is generally the same BUT because he had the advice from his father first, it changes a lot. Edward won't be crying to Jacob to give her little werebabies. He knows right off that Bella wants this baby and won't hurt her that way. **

**On Twitter if you want to follow me- Jayeliwood. **

**Trust me when I say you want to see the next chapter. You really really do. It's one of the scenes I've imagined before I even began writing this story. Lots of reviews! Maybe I'll update early again!**

**What do you think of Carlisle as a 'father' right now?**


	23. Blood Smoothie and a side of Onion Rings

**I want to thank everyone for the MASSIVE amount of support I received last chapter. Because of that, I'm posting early... AGAIN! Keep it up! If you do, I just might keep posting early...**

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**Blood Smoothie and a side of Onion Rings**

I followed behind Carlisle as we made our way to the kitchen. I heard the television come back on as Carlisle began to take things out of the cabinets and the refrigerator for Bella's drink. Strawberries, bananas, milk, honey, ice, along with a bag of blood. It almost seemed like a Halloween prank of some sort. Except there was no treat in this, only trick.

"It'll taste better warm," he said with a sigh as he looked at the ice. "I'll mix better as well. I don't want it to congeal. The strawberries will mask the color, hopefully, and maybe the banana's will covered the taste. I'll have to add a lot of honey too," he said, tapping his fingers on his chin as he thought it out. It all seemed like a math problem to him. How much honey will it take to cover the taste of AB- blood?

He poked a hole in the bag of blood and poured into a pan. "A low heat, you think?"

"I have no idea," I said as I said at the island, placing my chin on my palm. "I've never cooked blood before."

"Edward..." Carlisle sighed. _Stop acting like a child. _

"I'm not," I complained. He smirked and threw a knife in my direction to cut up the bananas and strawberries. I caught it easily, sitting up slowly. "I'm sorry. I just don't know what to make of it all," I began as I looked at the knife, twisting it between my fingers. I caught Jasper's reflection in the blade of the knife as he began to open the kitchen door.

"You better put on a damn happy face because Bella's thrilled," Jasper commented as he came inside. He turned his nose up at the cold blood but he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay in the room as it got warmer. Well, not if he wanted everyone to be safe. Even in it's current form it was rather appealing. "Edward, she's so happy," he said, trying to distract himself from the blood.

"I know," I said, slicing up the berries into tiny pieces before placing it into the blender I had never used before. This would be an interesting experience. I looked at the pitcher and decided it would need more strawberries. A lot more strawberries.

"Esme and Alice are going to be excited as well," he said as he made his way out of the kitchen. He wanted to prepare himself for the swirl of emotions that was sure to come when everyone found out. He wanted to meditate in his room. He would need all the calm he could get. He was sure there wouldn't be a lot of that to go around in the near future.

"I know," I mumbled quietly to his back.

Carlisle poured the warm blood into a measuring cup. He was trying to figure out how much he could put in a small smoothie without Bella noticing. He was actually doing calculations in his head. _Wonder what Bella could take... _

As if he called her name, Bella came into the kitchen with a strange expression on her face. She sniffed the air, biting her bottom lip. She leaned head back, taking in a deep breath as she closed her eyes. "Something smells good."

"Oh?" I asked as I sat up a bit straighter. She normally got sick of the smell of blood. This was not something I was expecting. There was no way she could not smell it. It was hot in the kitchen, the scent floating and swirling through the air. Even my mouth watered a bit at the scent, if I paid attention to it.

"The strawberries, perhaps?" Carlisle said, looking anywhere but the cup of blood in front of here. There was about a pint in it, a small bit of steam rising in a wisp above it. He didn't want her to get sick and to be unable intake any of it.

"No. Is this for me?" She asked, pointing at the cup. It was like a magnet drawing to a piece of metal. She hardly waited for Carlisle to answer.

"Yes, but-" But before we could stop her, Bella picked up the cup and brought it to her lips. She literally chugged it, small rivers of blood coming out the corner of her mouth and spilling down her chin.

I sat there in utter shock, wondering if I'd ever be able to pick my jaw up off the floor. "Dear God."

"Fascinating," Carlisle muttered as he watched her. Once again, like this was all a science experiment.

Bella pulled the cup away from her lips only when she drained the cup. Her lips were a deep red, the blush coming back to her cheeks. She'd been pale for so long."That was so good. Can I have some more?"

"Bella, do you know what is?" I asked in shock, looking between her and Carlisle. Carlisle shrugged and went to the fridge, pulling out some more blood to warm. He wasn't going to stop her from drinking the blood. He also noted the changes in her appearance, her warm color and the brightness in her eyes.

"I don't care! It's amazing!" She said as she licked some off the corner of her lips. Bella touched her fingers to her cheek, realizing that she had some there. She swiped at the blood, bringing it to her lips. "I can have some more, can't I?"

She was like a child asking for more ice cream.

"As much as you want," Carlisle assured her with a slight chuckle in his voice. "I never expected this but it makes sense!"

"What are you talking about?" Bella laughed as she reached for a napkin. She wiped her face, smearing the blood onto the napkin but her lips remained red. They looked very kissable at the moment, but I knew that would be a bad idea. I would not be able to control myself and now was not the time.

"Bella, what do vampires eat?" I asked her with a serious look. It took her a moment, an O forming on her lips. "This child-"

"It's a girl," Bella said with some certainty, nodding her head. She couldn't be sure of that. But, I would go along with Bella right for right now. That seemed like the best idea.

I rolled my eyes, "this _girl_ will be part vampire. She will most likely drink blood along with human food, if she is a perfect mix of us."

She ran her fingers over her stomach, lifting her shirt up slightly to glance down at her mound of flesh. "That should be interesting. I wonder what she'll like to eat. I bet she'll like sushi," she giggled softly at her own joke.

"What makes you so sure it's a girl?" I smirked, ignoring her teasing.

"I just know. Consider it an Alice moment," she smiled at me, taping her forehead.

She was so relaxed and happy. I couldn't understand it. Why wasn't sure scared? Weren't normal pregnant teenagers scared? Shouldn't a teenager pregnant with a vampire child be doubly so?

"Why aren't you not bothered by the fact that you just drank blood?" I asked in frustration.

_Don't push your luck, Edward,_ Carlisle thought as he poured the now warm blood into a mug. It was a different type and he wasn't sure if she'd like it as much. He figured since this was going so well that we'd try animal blood soon. There was only so much he could take from the hospital before someone would notice. Besides, we wanted to get her use to our lifestyle. "Here you go, my dear."

"Oh! Thank you!" She smiled, bringing it up to her lips. She drank this batch more slowly. "I don't know. It's just... it taste good. It smells good. I could smell it from the living room. I just had to have it. It might bother me later, after the pregnancy but for now..."

"Whoa," I heard Emmett say from the foyer as he came in from his run. "Damn, who slashed open a human in here? It reeks!"

Bella finished her mug and handed it back, declining anymore. Carlisle began to wash up the mug and cup, along with the pan before Emmett could make it in here. He didn't want to tempt him. Emmett's control was amazing but temptation was not something he wanted to give him. Emmett could be an unstoppable force.

"Hi, Emmett," Bella said brightly, snatching a strawberry from the place I had been slicing them. He came in slowly, looking around before his eyes settled on Bella's face. He was completely confused. I really couldn't blame him. I'd be confused if I were him as well.

"She's got blood on her chin," he pointed out stupidly. _Why does Bella have blood on her chin and why isn't she on the floor right now?_

"We'll explain everything later," Carlisle assured him. "Together as a family."

"We should tell the pack as well," Bella nodded her head, grabbing another strawberry. Finally she leaned over and just grabbed a whole banana. She was getting some of her appetite back. That was a very good thing. It made me feel a little bit better. I didn't want her to drink nothing but blood. That could only be bad for her. Besides, food was a pleasure that would soon be taken away from her if she still wanted to be turned after this. I could only assume so.

"It would be a good idea to tell them as well," Carlisle agreed with a small nod. "We'll call a meeting tonight."

"And what about Rosalie?" I asked under my breath so Bella wouldn't hear.

_What about Rosalie?_ Emmett thought but he didn't say it out loud. He'd wait for his explanation later. He knew it would all come in all due time. He didn't want the stress any sooner than he'd have to take it.

_Jasper will keep her at bay_, Carlisle thought._ And if she doesn't like it, she can leave. _

I sighed and nodded my head. Bella hopped up from her stool and made her way over to Emmett, randomly giving him a tight hug. He hugged her back, completely shocked. He looked at me over her head, wondering what her good mood was about. Even he had noticed her sour mood lately. I shook my head and mouthed the word 'later.'

He shrugged, "hey kiddo. How are you doing?"

"Fantastic!" She smiled up at him before looking back at me. "But I'm hungry. Can we get some dinner please? I haven't felt this hungry in a long time."

Carlisle smiled in triumph and I sighed, nodding my head. He called out that he'd make the arrangement for the meeting, to be back at the house by seven. I agreed, following Bella up the stairs to get ready.

"Can you believe it?" Bella smiled at me as she wrapped her arms around my neck as soon as the bedroom door closed. "We're going to be..." she trailed off, knowing that Emmett could hear.

"It's... _surprising_," I said quietly.

"Edward, what's wrong?" She asked as she looked up at me. Gently she ran her fingers over my cheek, leaning up to kiss my lips. I did so slowly, still tasting blood on her. I pulled back, licking my lips. I had to remind myself of the matters at hand.

"I'm worried, that's all."

"Everyone worries during times like this," she said as she went to put on a clean shirt. She pulled on the tight shirt and I could practically see the thought that she was going to need new clothes in her eyes. She didn't seem upset by this thought though. Not at all.

"This is a unique case," I mumbled.

"They're all unique," she said as she pulled on her shoes. "But yes, I know what you mean. But, I've got the best boyfriend and future husband in the world to watch over me. Along with the best father and doctor. I think everything will be okay."

"I'm scared," I whisper quietly. "I cannot lose you."

"You won't lose me, Edward. I promise. You're gaining here," she said as she stood, walking over to me and straighting my shirt. Slowly she wound her fingers through my hair and tugged it gently so I went down to kiss her. I do so slowly, almost afraid to hurt her but she didn't allow it. Her soft lips touch mine, her tiny body pressed against mine. "Daddy."

_Daddy?!_ I heard Emmett's mind snicker from somewhere in the house but I ignore him, pressing a kiss to the top of Bella's head.

"Come on, love. Lets get you something to eat."

Bella just wanted to go somewhere in town, not wanting to wait for her food. I was glad to see her appetite improve, even if I didn't like what was improving it. We sat in a booth, on the same side, while she waited for her meal. A steak, medium rare, with onion rings and a salad. It was quite a lot for her. I doubted she'd be able to finish it all.

"Mm, milk shake," Bella mumbled as she looked at the advertising on the table.

"Well, you certainly eat like a pregnant woman," I muttered under my breath.

"Excuse me?" I heard a familiar voice behind me growl. I closed my eyes, cursing my luck.

"Oh! Hey, dad! Edward keeps making fun of me because I want onion rings and a milk shake. He says I'm eating like a pregnant woman," she smirked, her cheeks turning a slight shade of red.

"Are you pregnant?" He demanded. He was furious and quickly seeing red. Just what I needed. To be shot at in public.

"Dad!" She said loudly. It was a denial, sort of. It was best not to lie in Bella's case. She was horrible at it. "Are you coming in to eat?"

"Um, yeah. I am. I was just getting a to go order before I head off to Billy's. We're watching a game tonight. Um, I don't suppose you want to come?"

He was trying to make a peace offering, but it wasn't a very good one. He didn't know his daughter very well. At least we seem to blow past the pregnancy... as of right now. We'd have to tell him very soon unless we wanted to get Bella out of state as soon as she school year ended.

I wondered if she'd agree to leaving sooner. We could go to Alaska. She'd be safe up there. It would take Victoria for a loop. She'd have less prey in Alaska, that's for sure.

But, all the best medical equipment was in Seattle. We were far closer now than before. It would be easier to steal it if we needed to in a hurry. Perhaps we could just buy what we needed and then donate it to some clinic up there when we were done with it

"Edward?" Bella called to me, bringing me out of my hazy thoughts.

"Yes, love?" I asked, embarrassed that I hadn't been paying attention.

"Are you okay?" She asked in concern, taking my hand. Charlie didn't like that at all. He didn't want her touching me or being around me. Not that his choice in men for her was any better.

"I'm great," I smiled at her slightly. It was a lie and I could tell she knew, but she didn't press it. Not in front of her father, at least.

Someone called out an order of hamburgers and fries and Charlie sighed in relief. This was too uncomfortable for him. He just wanted to leave.

"Alright, I'll see you later, kid," he mumbled, turning his back to us quickly. He was still wondering if she was pregnant but he wasn't going to ask her again in public. He remembered how she was last time. Charlie didn't want her to make a scene.

"It may be best for you to sleep at our house tonight," I whispered to Bella just as her food came to the table. The male waiter's eyes lingered on Bella for far longer than they should have and I gave him a vicious look, scaring him off.

"Why?" She mumbled through an onion ring. By the looks of it, we were going to have to order more of them. I wondered if she would be even able to keep them down. I also wondered how she could be so hungry after three cups of blood. I usually took no more than eight and that filled me for almost an entire month. I usually took down smaller prey now, a couple cups at the most but it was enough to last me a week. Though, I guess the phrase 'eating for two' did hold some truth. Especially when one of the creatures she was eating for didn't share her same tastes.

"Your father is going to corner you about being pregnant. I don't think it's wise to tell him anything until we know more ourselves," I explained to her, passing my soda to her. We'd have to cut those out soon. Those wouldn't be good for her or the baby.

The baby.

That was the first time I thought about it in a semi fond sort of way, if it could be considered that. I didn't want Bella to suffer but nor did I want this creature to suffer either. Not needlessly. I'm not sure if that was considered caring or not.

Bella brought her hand across the table and brought it into her own, giving it a gentle squeeze along with a smile. "What are you thinking about?"

"Our baby."

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**I've imagined the scene with the smoothie before I started writing this story. I think in the books if she had blood that she would have been healthier and would have made the whole pregnancy less dramatic. Yes, I'm also drawing the pregnancy out longer. And don't worry... No Nessie. Edward is more involved in this pregnancy and will help her pick out a name. **

**On Twitter, if you want to follow! Jayeliwood!**

**All kinds of drama about to happen. Can anyone guess what will happen next?**


	24. In the Trees

**Thanks for the massive support! You guys are AWESOME! **

**Lol I honestly don't remember if I'm posting this early or not. Either way, here you go!**

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**In the Trees**

After dinner we head back to the house. Carlisle had arranged the meeting with Sam and Esme was busy preparing food in the kitchen for them. Esme didn't like that we weren't telling everyone why we were having the meeting, but she trusted us. Alice was annoyed that Jasper knew and wasn't telling her. She tried to pry but it didn't work. Bella's future was a blur in her head and I suspected that had to do with the fact that she was pregnant, but also because of the werewolves. Either way, she was practically blind- power wise- and didn't like it in the least. She was actually sulking.

We had so many things to discuss when it came to this pregnancy, but this was a start to it. I knew we had step up our efforts and we had to get the family and the pack's support behind us. They couldn't protect her the way she needed if they didn't know everything. They wouldn't know the right way to protect her and how important it was now. As much as I wished we could keep this to ourselves, we couldn't. There was so much information we still needed to figure out before we dealt with everything else.

Like school.

Charlie.

Renee.

Our marriage.

Bella's change.

My family.

I'm sure there was about ten dozen other things to think about as well.

I didn't like having this many questions swirling in my head. And Bella just seemed so... happy. Just _ecstatic_. It seemed so unfair that she was relaxed about this. I would have felt better if I knew I wasn't the only one freaking out about this. But, I couldn't take this happy moment away from Bella. This was the most cheerful she'd been in weeks. I would have been a bastard to take it away from her. She needed this time, even if I was terrified.

I had to trust in Carlisle that this would work out. If it didn't then I could just change her. It was as simple as that, even if I didn't like it.

Simple isn't always so simple though.

Bella went upstairs to take a shower while I helped Esme in the kitchen. She wanted a few minutes of privacy and I suspected that it was to examine her stomach in the mirror without me looking at her. She hadn't had any time alone since she found out. Bella had been touching her stomach all afternoon as well. And every time she did, she smiled.

And it was such a beautiful smile.

I sat the same stool from earlier with a sigh, waiting for Esme to instruct me in some way. I didn't want to think at the moment. Orders would be wonderful. To just be a soldier and not have to think. Esme was deep in her own world and she knew what she was doing while I did not. But, instead of turning to me with instructions, she turned to me with a question.

"So, are you going to tell me why there is human blood in the fridge?" She asked, fist on her apron covered hip. There was sauce smugged across her cheek, her hair coming out the bun that was at the base of her neck. It was almost amusing how cooking seemed to frazzle her. She was so calm about everything else.

"Nope," I said with a smirk, sitting up a little bit. Everyone was around at the moment and I didn't want chaos to ensue until I was ready for it.

"So," she continued, staring at me, "it has to do with the reason we're calling this meeting?" My mother asked as she swirled the spoon in the air as if to show her point.

"Yes, it does. Trust me, all will be explained later," I mumbled quietly.

"You don't seem happy. What's wrong?" Esme asked as she put the spoon down in the sauce she was cooking. I think it was some sort of pasta but I wasn't really sure. All I could tell from here was that the pot was huge. She was prepared for the wolves this time. She wanted them to like her.

Always a people pleaser, but it made her happy.

I licked my lips before I answered, my mouth suddenly feeling dry as I thought out my words carefully. "I'm just nervous, that's all. A little scared and a lot worried."

Esme's arms wrapped around my waist from behind, laying her head against my back in such a loving manner. She was such a good mother. "Everything will work out fine. You shouldn't worry so much."

I placed my hands on her own, turning my head so I could brush the top of her head with it, nuzzling it. "I think at this point worrying is all I can do. I don't know and I don't think everything will work out fine. There are too many factors. Too many things that could go wrong, mom."

She kissed the back of my head before going back to stir her pan. She didn't want it to burn and have to start over again. She already had enough of tomatoes to last her a life time. "We control nothing in this world, really, besides ourselves. You can't spend your life worry about everything else. You won't really live."

"It's something that I've done that makes me worry," I whispered, my voice cracking slightly. I couldn't keep the emotions out of them the way I wanted to.

"Edward," Esme sighed heavily. "We all make mistakes. I don't know what you're worried about but it'll be okay."

"You don't even know what I have done," I laughed humorlessly. She always thought the best of me even when I didn't deserve it.

"Then tell me," she said seriously, pulling her best mother act out. When I didn't say anything she raised an eyebrow in my direction. "So, the meeting again?"

I nodded my head again. "I have a feeling you'll be happy but..." I sighed, shaking my head. "We'll talk about it more later. I'm sure I'll need your advice and comfort a lot in the upcoming months."

"You know I'm always here for you, my darling," she smiled at me sweetly. "Now, why don't you take out the paper plates out to the buffet? Oh, and the cups."

"Yes ma'am," I said quietly, glad to keep myself busy. I needed to do something to keep my mind off of everything and I think Esme knew that. I had too much to think about and there was nothing I could do about any of it.

I began setting everything up, the list going on and on that Esme wanted me to do before the wolves arrived. I wasn't sure how this would go so I was glad we were going with everything plastic or foam. It seemed like the safest choice all around. Esme brought a large platter of spaghetti out and placed it on the buffet before bringing out several loaves of garlic bread. It looked like it could feed the entire town of Forks. The sad part was I knew she wasn't done. She had a couple kinds of dessert in the kitchen, along with a salad.

When Bella came into the dining room, she was practically following her nose like a hound dog looking for a rabbit. "Oh! This smells so good."

"How can you be hungry?" I asked in surprise before I could stop the words from coming out of my mouth. Bella just smirked before walking over to me, a small sway to her hips as she came closer. She carefully tugged on the end of my shirt, looking wickedly up into my eyes.

"I know a reason or two why I am," she said, almost as she was challenging me to say something. With a sweet little grin, she leaned up on her tip toes and kissed my lips, satisfied that she shut me up for at least a little while. I returned the kiss slowly, running my fingers through her slightly curly hair. When I didn't smile at her when she pulled away, Bella sighed. "Are you worried about how everyone is going to react?"

"Among other things," I mumbled.

She took my hand and began to walk. To where I wasn't very sure but I would follow her anywhere. First she led me into the living room and then outside. Bella didn't stop walking until she reached the river, the soft babbling noise filling the air. "Can they hear us out here?"

"Yes," I told her truthfully. "Why?"

"We need to talk in private. Please take me to where they won't hear," she put her arms around my neck, burying her face in my chest as she closed her eyes. Within an second I wrapped my arms around her and crossed the river in one jump, running with her in my arms. I didn't stop until I couldn't hear their thoughts anymore. If I couldn't hear them I knew they couldn't hear us. I stopped in a small clearing, setting Bella down on a dead tree trunk.

"What's the matter, my love?" I asked, kneeling in front of her. I didn't want to upset her. I already felt like an utter failure but I didn't want to feel like an jackass as well.

"You're not happy about this, are you?" Bella asked, not looking at me but at the dead leaves on the ground.

I sat back, running my fingers through my hair. "Do you want the honest answer?"

"Of course I do!" She snapped.

"No! Not really. Bella, this could kill you!" I said in frustration.

"A lot of things could kill me. A normal pregnancy could kill me. If you were human you'd be happy right now," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"But, I'm not and this creature is not either!" I defended my thoughts quickly. "You have so many things going on right now. We don't need this. We don't need to worry about something else."

Bella stood up defiantly like, crossing her arms over her stomach as if she was protecting it. "I'm not worried, Edward! I'm happy. Very happy. You have given me so much already. I want to be able to give you this child. I want some beautiful little girl with pretty green eyes and my hair running around, calling you daddy and me mommy. I have all this love to give and I want to give it to you and this little angel we created."

"Angel?" I scoffed, standing up. "You do realize that another name for demons are angels of darkness?"

"Whatever it is, I will love it!" She shouted at me. "Just like I love you! I never cared what you are. Shouldn't you feel that way about our child?"

I leaned against a tree, closing my eyes tightly. "I'm scared. What if... if..."

"What if I get killed tomorrow? What if I have cancer? What if get hit by a bus? Edward, if you _what if _everything then you're going to miss everything else! What if this is the best thing that could ever happen to us? What if this is your one and only shot to be a father and me a mother? What if this little girl loves you with all her heart? What if-"

"Stop," I breathed, unable to take anymore. I slid down the trunk of the tree, burying my face in my hands. Involuntarily I began to sob, "stop."

Bella knelt down in front of me, trying to tug my hands away from my eyes. I wouldn't allow it. I couldn't look at her at the moment. "Edward, what if you get everything you've ever wanted in life?"

"I don't deserve it!" I growled behind my hands.

"Yes, you do! You've done so many good things in your life. And Edward, I want this and I want you and her. Don't you want me to have the things I want in life?"

"Of course I do," I whimper as I move my hands away, looking at her. How was she so calm right now and why was I falling apart? Maybe the stress was effecting me more than her. "Bella, you deserve all the happiness in the world."

"Well, being married to you and having a baby is what will make me happy. Shut up and deal with it," she smirked, her fingers clutching my wrist like she was stopping me from moving them in front of my face again. Like she could stop me.

If I were telling the truth, I knew she could.

"I can't lose you," I whispered, looking deep within her deep brown eyes.

"You won't," she assured me, nothing but love and trust found deep within her dark orbs. It was so beautiful and I didn't know how I came to deserve her in this life. I was sure I had done something right though. Perhaps in a previous life.

"Promise me," I demanded ferociously.

"With all my heart. Edward, you will never lose me," she said as she crawled into my lap. Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me down for a firm kiss.

I let my emotions take over for a moment, kissing her with everything I had. My hands traveled up and down her back, feeling the heat radiate from her body. She straddled my waist, her fingers scratching down my chest. I groaned loudly, throwing my head back as her lips traveled down my neck. "I love you," I breathed heavily.

"How touching!" I heard a voice I had only heard a few times before laugh. My arms tightened around Bella, making her still. She hadn't heard the noise yet. She was too distracted, just like I was a moment ago.

I sniffed the air. There was nothing. Animal musk floated through the air, mixed with smell of trees and plants. "Stand behind me," I whispered to Bella. "Do exactly what I say."

"Do you really think you'll be able to protect her that way?" Victoria laughed as she dropped down from the trees. The smell of animal musk was almost overwhelming. I chocked back a gag, pinning Bella back against the tree. Victoria laughed again. "Oh, and I must thank you for the wonderful idea! I never would have thought of using animal musk in that way. Very handy, Edward darling."

"I will tear you to shreds," I growled at her.

"Oh? Really? Well, not before I drain all the blood out of your beloveds body. Maybe I will rip her uterus out first so she can see your child before she dies."

I lunged at her, causing her to cackle. She was quite fast but not fast enough and I could see every move before she made it. I trip her up but she scrambled towards Bella. Bella shrieked, kicking in Victoria's direction as she fell backwards in shock. She got a sharp kick to her nose, not that it did much damage to the vampire. The loud crack of bone echoed through the air. Bella screamed again, dropping down to the ground hard in pain. Victoria lunged forward but I grabbed her by the ankles and tossed her against a tree. It broke in half, falling to the ground.

"You son of a bitch!" She shrieked. "She's not a mate! She's a meal. I wonder if you could handle a real woman," she taunted as she lifted up to her feet, beginning to circle me.

"She's better than you'll ever be,"I hissed at her just before I bounded towards her again, throwing her against another tree. It snapped as well, falling to the ground. I grabbed her arm, ripping it easily from it's socket. Victoria shrieked, bucking me off of her body.

"RILEY! KILL HER!" She yelled loudly. I turned to see Bella, a dirty blond young boy with feral red eyes stalking towards her. Where the hell did he come from? I turned towards Bella, throwing the newborn back.

"You'll never be able to keep her safe, Edward," Victoria teased. "You'll be die tonight. Both of you."

Both vampires lunged towards me, bringing me to the ground. But, as quickly as the newborn was there, it was gone. A flash of dark fur came bounding over the top of us, pushing Riley to the ground. With a vicious snap of his massage jaw, Jacob ripped his leg from his hip.

"No!" Victoria screamed, frantic.

"Tell me where the other newborns are?!" I demanded.

"Go to hell!" She yelled but the image came to her mind involuntarily. It was all I needed. I knew exactly where she was keeping them. We could finish this tonight.

A scream of pain came from her newborn as Jacob ripped off his other leg and spit it to the side. Victoria shrieked, scrambling to get me off of her and go to her newborn. She actually cared about this one. It was her first and best trained. That's why she trusted him to come with her tonight.

An arm came off the newborn and finally she wormed her way from underneath me but she was too stupid to realize I allowed her to. I grabbed her leg, ripping it from her body and flinging it to the ground. Her pain was enough of a distraction, slowed her for long enough for exactly what I needed to do. I took her moment of weakness and grabbed her head, ripping it from her shoulders. I tossed it across the forest for later burning.

I quickly ripped the rest of her body apart, putting it in tiny pieces in a pile. Jacob ripped the newborn apart completely, shaking his head at the horrible taste. When he was done he morphed into a human, forgoing the pants. The mutt was too distracted to even care about them at the moment. He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, looking at me. "We need to burn the bodies now before they come back together."

"Get some wood," I ordered as I went to go check on Bella. I sank down beside her, running my hand over he injured foot. "Does it hurt?" I asked stupidly. Of course it hurt but I needed to know how much pain she was in.

"I'm alright," she whispered, crying brokenly. "Go finish this, please. I want to go home."

I nodded, agreeing with her words. I began to help Jacob find dry grass and leaves, which wasn't the easiest of tasks. When we were done putting them in a pile, I grabbed a pair of rocks from the forest floor and began to hit them together.

"That's not flint," Jacob pointed out with a smug grin. He thought I was stupid and didn't know any better.

Just as he did, sparks flew from the rocks and the grass took. I looked up with him with a smirk. "It doesn't matter if you hit them together hard enough. Now, go tell the rest of the pack that I know where the newborns are. I'm taking Bella home."

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**Only one more chapter left and then the epilogue! Oh just wait and see... lots of surprises in store for you. **

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**Who liked that the healthier slightly more confident Bella helped Edward get to the place he needed to be with the baby?**


	25. The last fight

**Thanks for the massive support and encouragement! It's been so awesome! This is the final official chapter. Only the epilogue left! **

**Enjoy!**

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**The last fight**

I swept Bella up in my arms, holding her as tightly as I could without hurting her. I felt like I couldn't have her close enough. "Once they finish burning, meet me at the house. Bella has some broken toes at the very least. It's not safe for her to be out here anymore. We need to keep her safe."

"Sure, sure," Jacob agreed quickly. He morphed into dog form right in front of us, his mind going straight to the pack to send the message. It was simple, just telling them to get to the house so we could take and that it was important. Most of them were in wolf form and on their way towards the house anyway. He changed back again, making it easier for him to control the fire. The rest of the family would be home by now as well. From what I could tell, he hadn't head any of our previous conversation.

"It's almost over," I whispered in Bella's ear as I began to ran towards the house. Her arms wrapped around my neck as she sobbed quietly, her face pressed against my chest. "How does your foot feel?"

"Like someone broke my toes off," she whimpered, her fingers wrapping tightly around my shirt, fisting it. It was like she felt the same way I did, like she couldn't get close enough. I squeezed her gently, kissing her forehead.

I gave her another soft kiss before jumping the river, landing with as gentle a thump as I could. Bella's arms trembled slightly but she glanced over the house and I could see the relief in her eyes. She was just as relieved to see the light glowing from the windows as I was. Carlisle would be there to take care of her. Take care of her and the baby.

"What the hell is going on?" Sam demanded as soon as I came in the door. "Jacob said that you knew where the newborns were."

Huh, he must have changed again already. It made some of the explaining a little bit easier at least.

"Are you alright, son? What happened to Bella?" Carlisle asked, taking a more fatherly approach. I moved past them into the living room, placing her on the couch. She looked so tiny on it, her shivering body so frail. I wanted to protect her always.

"Victoria attacked us while we were in the woods. She covered her scent like I did," I explained as I tried to carefully remove Bella's boot. It would be harder to do later if there was a lot of swelling. I didn't want her to be in pain but I knew she would be no matter what. She hissed loudly, throwing her head back. "Sorry," I whispered quietly, begging her forgiveness with my eyes.

"It's okay," she breathed before grabbing the couch cushion for dear life. She was bracing for whatever came next I realized as she spoke again. "Just hurry up and take off the sock."

I dipped my nail underneath the fabric and ripped it away so I wouldn't have to tug on her foot. She seemed grateful for that. I dropped it to the floor, touching my cold hands to her foot to give it some relief. Emmett, who could never shut up, decided to put his two cents in. "Did you trip, Bella?"

"No! I kicked a vampire in the face," she said, her head leaning back against the couch. She actually seemed a bit insulted. That question would have been valid on any other day, but right now it was far from the truth.

"Sweet," Paul muttered with pride before putting a contrite grin on his face. "Oh, yeah... sorry..."

"We killed her and her main... well, whatever the hell he was. The rest of the newborns are in a small quarry about thirty miles away from here. There looks to be about ten of them, from what I could tell from her mind," I explained. "Alice, get some ice. We need to keep the swelling down."

"On it!" Alice chirped before running towards the kitchen. "I'll get some aspirin too."

"Edward, go take care of them. I'll be alright here," Bella said in a fierce voice that surprised me. I hadn't even thought of it yet.

"I refuse to leave your side," I said as I took her hand in my own. I took the ice from Alice's quick hands and placed it gently on her foot. She sucked in a deep breath, blinking back tears before popping the pills into her mouth and taking a drink.

"Edward, you are one of the strongest fighters. Go. I'll be fine by myself here. There is no more danger if you take care of them."

"Bella," Jasper said, standing in, "we won't leave you unprotected. Esme?" He called my mother's name, getting her attention. She stepped forward, holding her head up high. "I'm sure you'd be more than willing to stay with Bella?"

"Of course," Esme smile sweetly, coming to stand beside the couch. She ran a gentle hand through her hair, a very loving gesture.

"Argh! Fine! I'll go but Carlisle needs to take care of your-" I began but I instantly saw I was going to be overruled by the look in Bella's eyes. She was no longer taking anything from me. She was such a strong woman now. Maybe it was the mother in her.

"My foot will be fine," Bella said firmly. She tugged me closer to her, kissing my lips softly. "More people are in danger besides us. Think of all the people in Forks."

I sighed. I hated feeling so irrational. Bella did that to me though. I ran my fingers through her hair before grabbing the back of her neck and kissing her firmly. She moaned softly against my mouth, warm tears sliding against my skin as she cried. "This will all be over soon."

"I know," Bella smiled at me, running her fingers over my jaw gingerly. It felt like the sweetest of fire. "And then you can come home and we can start this new life together." Bella leaned in close, her smile growing a little bit, "the three of us."

"What?" Emmett asked in the background. "Three?"

"Don't worry, I'll explain later," I said after another kiss. I watched as my family surrounded me, along with the pack. Jacob came through the door just in time. There was twelve of us and ten of them. This would be a close fight but I knew... I had to believe that everything was going to be alright.

It just had to be. I would except nothing else.

Bella was right. I was just about to get everything I wanted and I was going to be damned if it was going to taken away from me now.

"Are we ready to do this?" I asked in a fierce voice. I hardly recognized it myself.

Emmett and Jacob were doing a mental cheer, along with Paul. Seth was scared. Sam was worried, as was Alice, Esme, and Carlisle. Rosalie was just annoyed and ready to get it over with. Quil and Embry were practically shaking with nervous energy.

We ran to the old rock quarry in about fifteen minutes, having to go a little slow for the wolves. I stopped at the edge, knowing that they had not sensed us yet to watch them. They were feeding... which was the only reason they were still in the same spot. Victoria has practically thrown a bus load of people in there.

"Good God," Carlisle whispered. He had seen this scene so many times before with his exploits with the Volturi. Though he never wanted to bear witness, it happened in front of him too many times before. The whole thing made his stomach roll in disgust.

"They're all dead already," Alice said brokenly. She didn't want to think of the awful things that just happened to all those people. My dear sister was just like Carlisle in that way. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to clear her senses but it wasn't working. "I hate that I can't see anything."

"Don't worry," Jasper ran his hand over her back. He licked his lips slowly before he spoke again. "Lets see if I can make them a little more nervous."

Fear was a powerful tool. Fear made you unorganized, frantic. It was hard to think when you were scared. I knew the moment the feeling hit them, confusion coming over them all. They looked at each other, paranoid and scared as the bad feeling hit them like a ton of bricks. When they could not find the source of the fear among themselves, they began to look around the forest edge.

None of them were special from what I could tell, which was a bad thing for them and very good for us. But one did seem to be sort of a natural leader, telling one of the younger ones to go check out what was on our side of the quarry. He growled and snapped at her, complaining that he didn't want to be the one to do it but she slapped him hard across the face. She informed him that Victoria had put her in charge for now and he would listen to her. Grumbling, the man grabbed another, having him come along with him to check. He didn't want to go on his own. The paranoia was still gripping him hard.

"Emmett, Jasper... shall we relieve them of their heads?" I asked in a low growl. My brothers looked at me a little bit too excited, agreeing quickly. Carlisle followed us to a dark part of the forest, climbing up the trees. The wolves retreated into the forest a little bit to get out of their sight. The newborns wouldn't understand what they were smelling yet, most likely. They were all acting on instincts. Most of them were no more than days old, if not younger. Perhaps hours.

They were practically zombies. Mindless, stupid, and blood thirsty.

The second they came underneath the tree the two looked up, surprised to see us there. Their eyes narrowed at us, never coming across another set of vampires before. Also, we smelled different from a normal vampire. Yes, they were merely hours old. Victoria had barely had time to train them.

Before they could make a sound Carlisle and I dropped down, as did Emmett and Jasper. One of us grabbed their body while the other ripped their heads off, tossing it to the side. Their bodies were nothing when it came to two us ripping them apart. Alice and Rosalie came out of the woods with the wolves, and helped us to finished tearing them into so many pieces that it would take hours to come back together.

"Eight to twelve," Emmett smile. "I like those odds a bit better.

"We need to take the leader our first. She'll be able to organize them again. We need to scatter them. It'll be easier," Carlisle pointed out. The wolves came into view, sniffing the air.

Sam nudged me with his nose, grabbing my attention. T_he pack will make a frontal attack, you go around from behind and take them out that way. We'll keep their attention better that way. They'll never see you coming. _

"Good idea," I agreed after a moment of thought. My family looked at me curiously, wondering what he just said. "The wolves will go in front and we'll come in from behind."

"Damn, I don't like being sneaky," Emmett muttered. He was looking for a bigger fight, aching for it. He had been under a lot of stress lately and he wanted to get it all out. He'd have to get over that pretty quickly.

"You won't have to be for long," I said, grabbing his arm and dragged him along behind me. My family followed behind me, letting me take the lead. Even Jasper was impressed at my leadership skills. I usually let Carlisle take the lead, or Jasper, but this was different. This whole thing was because of me and I was determined to fix it.

The wolves didn't wait more than a minute to make a leap down into the rock bed. Their landing was quite dramatic with lots of snarling and growling. One of the vampires, a young girl, shrieked in surprise as she stumbled backwards. Others growled while the rest just stared, not sure what to do. Victoria had told them about their enemies but not how to fight them yet. Sam was the first to attack, grabbing the one nearest to him. It was a massive male, a hiker from what I could tell from his clothes. Paul came to his side and grabbed his arm, ripping it to tiny pieces.

Well, this certainly knocked them out of their shock. They lunged at the wolves all at once, becoming a tangled mess of fur and fangs- so to speak. The newborns didn't even notice us coming. Sam had been right when he said they would never see us coming. This was a very good thing.

Alice grabbed the small girl who was trying to bite Seth and tore her head off in one smooth movement. She had grown attached to Seth over the past month or so they'd been working together. She didn't want anyone hurting her friend, especially some badly dressed mall rat. Those were her thoughts anyway. Just as quickly Alice ripped her head off she went to Jasper's side, helping him with another male. They all kind of blended together after that point.

I heard a yelp of pain and I saw a woman, probably in her fifties when she was turned, grabbing Jacob by the leg. The snap of bone was sickening. I went forward, grabbed the woman and with a foot on her back, I kicked her forward. Her head off came off surprisingly easily. I dropped it to the ground and kicked it hard so she wouldn't be able to find it any time soon.

_Thanks_, Jacob thought at me.

"Are you alright?" I asked, panting with wild energy. I didn't know what else to ask or say.

_I thought I was dead there for a second._

"No one in this _family_ will die tonight," I assured him before going back into the fight. Their numbers were going down quickly. Jasper had taken out two already. Alice had taken one out, along with the one the wolves had taken out at first. There were only four left, each being circled by three different creatures- werewolf and vampire.

As if there was a synchronized battle plan everyone attacked at once. When we pulled back, there were only body parts left.

"That was too easy," Emmett said in disappointment. He was actually disappointed. Jasper rolled his eyes and scoffed, glad to have it over. Carlisle was relieved as well.

"Can we just burn the bodies so we can get the hell out of here?" Rosalie demanded. She was already thinking about where her and Emmett could go for a while. She had gotten sick of the family and she couldn't take it anymore. They did this every decade or so and they were over due for a couples vacation.

Jasper and Alice grabbed the bodies from the forest while the rest of gathered all the other pieces, including that of the dead humans that were their lunch. The wolves changed back into their human form to make it easier, slipping back into the shorts thankfully. Jacob limped and groaned, running his fingers through his hair while he threw a random leg into the pile.

"Are you alright?" I asked again, throwing a final hand into the pile. The area looked pretty clean beside that. It smelled as if it would rain soon and that would take care of most of the blood.

He twisted his ankle, making it pop loudly. "Yeah, it's already set. I'll be fine in a couple of hours. Hurt like a bitch though. By the way, thanks."

"Yeah," was all I answered as I sat down. Jasper pulled out a pack of matches from his pocket and threw a single stick into the middle. It began to pour purple sweet smelling smoke almost instantly.

"You saved my life. Why?" He demanded, wanting to know my thinking.

"Because that would hurt Bella, even if she's angry at you. And you haven't done anything to deserve to die, even if I've wanted to kill you before," I informed him seriously. "Besides, you probably saved Bella and my life tonight."

He nodded, looking into the fire. We'd have to make sure it finished burning and get rid of the rest of the evidence. He sighed, feeling a little bit awkward. He didn't know what else to say and he didn't like the silence that was growing between us. "Why did you all call the meeting tonight?"

"Bella and I have an announcement," I said, looking down at my hands. "But, it doesn't really matter anymore. We were only going to tell because it would change the way we'd have to protect her. We don't have to worry about that anymore."

He looked up at me curiously, asking me in his mind what the hell I was talking about. I shook my head and gave a little smile. "Something good?"

"Something great," I informed him.

Carlisle and Jasper looked over at me and smiled slightly. Carlisle was just relieved I wasn't going crazy anymore and Jasper was just happy at the amount of happiness that was pouring out of me at the moment.

I now almost had everything. But, a very important part of me was missing right now. "Can you guys take care of everything here? I need to go check on Bella and tell her that everything is alright. I'm sure she's worried."

"Go on, son," Carlisle encouraged. _Give Bella and Esme a kiss for me, please. _

"Of course," I agreed happily and took off at a full run.

I had to get home to my future wife and child.

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**Before you start begging... YES there is a sequel. Did you think I was going to leave you hanging like that? The sequel will begin posting on November 2****nd****. I just need a bit of a break to get a head start on writing and work on some other things. **

**Add me to your author alerts so you can be one of the firsts to read the next part! Also, I'm on twitter if you want to follow me! Jayeliwood!**

**So, are you excited about the epilogue and the sequel? Any ideas for a title?**


	26. Graduation Day

**I want to thank everyone for the amazing support that you've given me while writing this story. I wasn't ready to let this story go and I know there is so much more to tell. **

**Now, I know it's not completely SM kosher the way I'm doing the pregnancy but I have a theory that if she would have had the blood the baby wouldn't have leeched from Bella, making Bella healthier. We saw part of that in BD. If Bella was stronger the pregnancy would have been more like a normal pregnancy, making it last a bit longer. I KNOW it's not completely canon but this is fanfiction and you've got to twist some stuff around.**

**Anywayyyy... here is the epilogue! I hope you enjoy!**

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**Graduation Day**

Bella's fingers trailed lazily over her stomach as she looked at the laptop on our bed. Most of the items around us were already packed, except for the bed and the laptop she seemed to be on constantly now a days. She was always looking up one thing or another. That and it had been her entertainment as her foot healed. It was only turned out to be three broken toes, which is still painfully but not as bad as it could have been.

"What do you think? A girl or a boy?" She asked for what was literally the thousandth time since she had found out she was pregnant. She had questions almost constantly on her lips, not that I minded.

"What are you looking at?" I asked with a slight laugh as I picked out the suit I would wear at graduation the next day. Bella's dress was already hanging up, Alice picked it a week before. It was loose enough to hide her pregnancy without being unattractive or unflattering in the least. Though she was slightly curved now, no one had figured it out and no one could hardly tell if her clothing was loose enough. We hadn't told her father yet either, at her request. She wanted to wait until we were moved to Alaska. His reaction to us moving the day after graduation and our marriage was not something he was happy about in the least. Bella didn't want him to try to literally kill me and have to find out it was impossible.

That was not a fun night. Bella threw up six times and drank two pints of deer blood, which seemed to be her favorite. The blood seem to keep her healthier and she looked better than she had in months, even with the pregnancy. I hoped she liked elk and polar bears just as much. No one wanted a repeat of that. As much as she loved her father, she did not want to share the information until she could put herself at a safe distance. It was harder to walk away compared to hanging up the phone.

"A baby name website. So, boy or girl?" One thousandth and one. I wondered briefly how many more times she would ask that.

"If I knew, I would tell you," I chuckled.

"What would you like?" Bella smiled sweetly, her big brown eyes glittering with happiness. I could see new and beautiful flecks of gold floating in those orbs now. I knew it had to do with the blood and it was giving me a glimpse of the future. It wasn't a horrible thing. It simply enhanced her beauty.

"Hm," I said as I picked out a golden color tie to go with the hideous yellow robe. Yellow was a horrible color for a ceremonial robe. What ever happened to the traditional black or perhaps even a red or blue? I thanked the lord that I would not be going back to high school for a decade, at the very least. "I think it doesn't matter. I'll love it either way."

"Ugh, you're no help! I'm trying to figure out what I'll name her," she sighed, clicking on the pink side of the website.

"If you already know, why do you ask me?" I smirked, going to sit on the bed along side her. I gently began to rub her back, kissing along the side of her neck. She hummed quietly, tilting her head to the side.

"Because, I was curious. Besides, we should be prepared you know. Have a name for both boy and girl," she said absently.

"It's too early to think of baby names. Shouldn't you be looking at wedding dresses? That's far sooner," I grinned against her neck, loving the beautiful ring that I had on her finger now. It was my graduation present to her. I told her that she didn't have to wear it yet, but she loved it and quickly slipped it on her finger. We'd probably have to get her a different ring, or size this one, after she had the baby because the size of her fingers had increased slightly, but it didn't matter.

I had a ring on her and she was mine. That made everything right with this world.

"That's what Alice is for. All I have to do is show up at the right moment," Bella giggled happily. "Oh, and say I do."

"Ah, that is true. That's less than two months away. Are we suffering from any cold feet?" I teased as I ran my foot along her own. She shuddered delicately, a small smile on her face as her head tilted back slightly.

"I could be dunked into the frozen waters off the Alaskan coast in the middle of winter and I still wouldn't have cold feet."

I laughed quietly, throwing my head back against the bed. I was just so happy. Nothing could change that.

After the quarry the wolves agreed to let us wait until graduation so not to rouse any undue attention. We held off telling the wolves because we didn't want them to tell Charlie on accident. That night we told my family the news though. The reactions were so different.

Completely and total happiness. Esme and Alice were... over the moon. They cooed over Bella's baby belly like she was already nine months and ready to pop the poor child out at any moment. They began to plan the nursery in their heads, making little plans that truly were not that little. At all.

Emmett was... pretty much laughing his ass off. He found it so amusing that I was becoming 'another teen statistic.'

That was the only joke that he could get out before Rosalie began to scream. She hated Bella for having everything that she wanted in this life. She hated Bella for having a choice and still picking what she considered the wrong one. She wanted so badly to have a child of her own and she believed that Bella was not special enough for all this attention. She believed that Bella didn't deserve the child. It was all just jealousy.

Her and Emmett left that night. We had heard from Emmett as they traveled on a long honeymoon around Europe and Asia. He honestly wished that he could be here with us at the moment but he felt like his wife needed him more. He was torn and I felt for him.

Alice saw a vision of her coming around, though she didn't know exactly when. The only thing she knew for certain is that bothering her wouldn't help in the least.

That was more than fine with me. I didn't really want to talk to Rosalie for a long long while.

"Edward, I want something classic. Something that goes along with everyone else's names here. Something that stands the tests of time," she said with a smirk. "Ugh, I hate all of these made up names."

I chuckled, running my finger over the screen as I scanned the list myself. There were literally hundreds of thousands of names in the world. "Perhaps a biblical name? Hebrew, perhaps? Those have been around for thousands of years."

"Oh! Good idea," she said, quickly typing out the words 'biblical names.' "I can't pronounce most of these," Bella frowned as they began to appear on the screen.

"Want some help?" I chuckled.

"If I can't pronounce it on my own then how are second graders?" She stuck her tongue out at me playfully. I chuckled, smacking her backside gently. "What? We have to think about that kind of thing. Children are mean. Oh! Asenath! Means 'belongs to her father.'

"Because that name has NO mean nicknames that could be connected to it and can TOTALLY be said by second graders," I teased in a sarcastic voice. Bella rolled her eyes and nodded, agreeing with me even if she didn't like it very much.

"Shut up," she muttered under her breath. "So, moving on... Alexandra?"

"Could work for a boy or a girl. Alexander or Alexandra. Biblical. Been around for a couple thousand years. Easily said. Lots of actually pleasant nicknames. Alex Masen. Alex Cullen. Seems to work either way. I like it," I finally concluded.

"Me too," she smiled slightly. "We could call the baby Alex until we find out if it's a girl for sure or not."

"I like that. And it's also not bad that it means protector, just like Edward does," I smiled in return, kissing the top of her head. "Also, we'd be sticking with vowels. Isabella, Edward... "

"Auntie Alice," my sister beamed from the doorway. I knew what she had come for and I knew that Bella wasn't going to like it all that much. "Vowel names are lovely."

"I thought your husband's name started with a J," I teased her.

"J names are lovely too," she stuck her tongue out at me before turning her attention to my bride. "Now Bella, it's time to go do your nails and get your facial done. We won't have time in the morning."

"Fine," Bella groaned loudly, throwing herself from the bed dramatically. "Lets make this quick. I'm ready for dinner."

"Jesus, Bella! You eat more than Emmett does," Alice mumbled, wrapping an arm around her waist. As soon as Alice touched my little bride, her eye's glazed over. A vision swirled in her mind, foggy but still there.

_Bella was standing beside me, a small bundle in her arms. The baby, perhaps? I wrapped my arms around Bella's waist, burying my face in her neck. A horrible feeling washed over us both as three cloaked figures came into the scene. _

"The Volturi," I whispered in shock. Everyone's ears in the house perked up at the words. Alice slid to the floor as the vision continued. _Marcus raised his hand, screaming something at the top of his lungs but I couldn't hear the words. I just knew it was bad. Then the vision went black but not before I watched Bella and I drop to the ground completely lifeless. _

"Oh, my god! We're going to die," Alice whispered, her forehead pressed against the wooden floor as she sucked up deep breaths.

Bella didn't hear what she said as she sat beside my sister, her fingers running through her hair. "Alice? What's wrong? Are you okay? Bad vision?"

I went to their side right away, picking up my sister and giving her a strong hug. She wrapped her arms around my neck, still gasping for air. "Carlisle," I breathed. "I think we may have a problem."

* * *

**So many questions now, I know! But, you're going to have to wait until November 2nd to start have them answered. Put me on your author alerts so you don't miss a thing!**

**Oh! On the 5th there is a story going to be posted that I wrote for the Halloween countdown! It's on my birthday so send me lots of love! I also wrote part of the collab at the end.**

**Also you can send me lots of love on my birthday through twitter! Jayeliwood!**

**Okay, so I'm an eager little kid who got up early the day of her birthday party. Yeah, I know I'm a dork but that's okay! That means you get this post super early in the morning! **

**What in the world are the Volturi up to and why are they coming after Edward and Bella?**


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